Comparison of retrograde intrarenal surgery and percutaneous nephrolithotomy for the treatment of renal stones greater than 2 cm.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) in the treatment of kidney stones greater than 2 cm and to compare its results with those of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed a total of 143 patients: 86 patients (53 males and 33 females) who underwent PCNL and 57 patients (37 males and 20 females) who underwent RIRS between October 2009 and October 2013.


RESULTS
The mean duration of operation was 100.26±33.26 min in the RIRS group and 75.55±21.5 min in the PCNL group (p<0.001). The hospital stay was significantly shorter in the RIRS group (1.56±0.8 vs. 4.57±2.1 days in the RIRS and PCNL groups, respectively; p<0.001). Stone-free rates after one session were 66.6% and 91.8% of the RIRS and PCNL groups, respectively. The stone-free rate of the RIRS group improved to 87.7% after the second session. Blood transfusions were required in two patients in the PCNL group. Complication rates were higher in the PCNL group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that RIRS can be an alternative to PCNL in the treatment of kidney stones with a diameter of 2-4 cm especially in patients with comorbidities.
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
Orhan
O
Karakoç
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
Ahmet
A
Karakeçi
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
Tunç
T
Ozan
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
Fatih
F
Fırdolaş
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
Cihat
C
Tektaş
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
Şehmus Erdem
ŞE
Özkarataş
Department of Urology, Fırat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazığ, Turkey.
İrfan
İ
Orhan
Kidney stones; flexible ureteroscopy; percutaneous nephrolithotomy; retrograde intrarenal surgery