Minimally invasive approaches and their efficacy in pediatric urolithiasis.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the frequency of usage and success of minimally invasive approaches in the management of pediatric urolithiasis in our clinic.


METHODS
Data from pediatric patients (≤16 years of age) who had undergone percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), ureterorenoscopy (URS), and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) between January 2001 and December 2011 were retrospectively investigated.


RESULTS
In this study, 415 pediatric patients, who were treated for 291 renal, and 124 ureteral stones, were evaluated. The patients were treated with PNL (n=148; 82 boys, 66 girls), URS (n=99; 58 boys, and 41 girls) or ESWL (n=168; 91 boys, and 77 girls). The mean patient ages were 7.3 (1-16), 9.1 (1-16), and 8.8 (1-16) years in the PNL, URS, and ESWL groups, respectively. The stone-free rates after treatment with PNL, URS, and ESWL were 77, 83.8 and 88.7%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important that selected therapies are properly planned, and the use of minimally invasive approaches is important in pediatric patients due to potentially high recurrence rates. Currently, ESWL, PNL and URS are performed with high success rates for the treatment of stones, and open surgery is rarely used due to the success obtained with minimally invasive approaches.
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
Ramazan
R
Altıntaş
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
Ali
A
Beytur
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
Fatih
F
Oğuz
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
Serhan
S
Çimen
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
Ender
E
Akdemir
Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey.
Ali
A
Güneş
ESWL; minimally invasive approach; pediatric urolithiasis