Skin-to-stone distance has no impact on outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
OBJECTIVE
Skin-to-stone distance (SSD) is a stronger factor than body mass index in predicting the success of shock wave lithotripsy. We aimed to evaluate the impact of SSD on outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).


METHODS
The medical records of 1,280 patients who had undergone PCNL between April 2007 and February 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. 192 patients who had had preoperative non-contrasted computed tomography and single renal access were included the study. According to this median SSD value, patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (SSD ≤94 mm) (n = 92) and group 2 (SSD >94 mm) (n = 90). The groups were compared according to operative and postoperative parameters.


RESULTS
We found no significant differences between the two groups with regard to stone-free rate, operation time, fluoroscopy time, hospitalization time, visual analog score of pain, stone burden, transfusion rates and complication rates. On the other hand, the mean body mass index of group 1 was significantly lower than that of group 2 (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In this retrospective review of patients undergoing PCNL, we found that SSD has no impact on operative and postoperative outcomes. These results were in accordance with the safety of PCNL in obese patients.
Department of Urology, Başkent University, Konya, Turkey.
Umut
U
Gonulalan
Murat
M
Akand
Gokcen
G
Coban
Tufan
T
Cicek
Murat
M
Kosan
Serdar
S
Goktas
Hakan
H
Ozkardes
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous / Q000379:methods*; D061646:Operative Time; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome