title: Computerized tomography guided access for percutaneous nephrostolithotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Access for percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PNL) using conventional fluoroscopic guidance may carry an increased risk of damage to surrounding organs in patients with renal calculi and aberrant anatomy. In these situations cross-sectional anatomical imaging may facilitate safe percutaneous access. We describe our experience with computerized tomography (CT) guided percutaneous access for such patients undergoing PNL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between June 2000 and December 2001, 154 patients underwent PNL at our institution. Five of these patients (3%) required a total of 6 percutaneous access tracks under CT guidance. All patients in this group had anatomical abnormalities precluding standard access to the collecting system without risk to adjacent organs. These abnormalities included a retrorenal colon in 2 and a severely distorted body habitus due to spinal dysraphism in 3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Percutaneous access was achieved without complication in all cases. At subsequent PNL 5 of the 6 renal units (83%) were rendered completely stone-free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT guided percutaneous access is infrequently required for PNL. However, there is a select group of patients with anatomical anomalies that may predictably require this procedure to facilitate safe and efficacious PNL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Matlaga
authors.forename: Ojas D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zagoria
authors.forename: Raymond B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Dyer
authors.forename: Stevan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Streem
authors.forename: Dean G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Assimos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed