title: Percutaneous vesicolithotomy: an alternative to open bladder surgery in patients with an impassable or surgically ablated urethra.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although vesical calculi are routinely treated transurethrally, open vesicolithotomy is generally performed in patients with an impassable or surgically ablated urethra. We describe a technique of percutaneous vesicolithotomy which we used in patients who had undergone urethral ablation and concomitant continent diversion by appendicovesicostomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bladder stones were detected in 3 patients with neurogenic bladder who had undergone continent urinary diversion with bladder neck closure and appendicovesicostomy. To treat the stones access to the bladder was achieved percutaneously and the tract was enlarged using a balloon dilator. An Amplatz sheath was slipped over the inflated balloon and after the dilator was removed the sheath provided a working channel through which stones were fragmented and removed using a nephroscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each patient was rendered stone-free and discharged home the same day as the procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous vesicolithotomy provides an alternative approach for bladder stone removal in patients with an impassable urethra with decreased morbidity compared to open procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Franzoni
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Decter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D001744:Urinary Bladder Calculi / Q000628:therapy*; D016476:Urinary Reservoirs, Continent