title: Standard versus tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy: A randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively compare the outcome of standard mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (SmPCNL) versus tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (TmPCNL) as primary treatments of renal stones.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 80 patients with a solitary radio-opaque renal stone and candidates for PCNL were selected. The patients were randomly divided into two groups of 40, one group treated with SmPCNL and the other with TmPCNL. Patients and stone characters, as well as operative and postoperative data of both groups were compared and statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the two groups for patient demographics and stone characteristics. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for the mean operative time, mean postoperative drop in haemoglobin, mean postoperative urine leakage, mean hospital stay, and stone-free rate. The mean (SD) postoperative dose of analgesia was statistically significantly higher in the SmPCNL group compared with the TmPCNL group, at 112.5 (48.03) versus 48.8 (43.5) mg, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both procedures are safe and effective for managing renal stones, without any significant difference between the two procedures; however, the postoperative analgesic requirement is significantly higher in SmPCNL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sebaey
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mostafa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soliman
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohey
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Elshaer
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Wael
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kandil
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rabea
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Omar
keywords: BMI, body mass index; ESWL, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy; Mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy; Nephrostomy tube; PCNL, percutaneous nephrolithotomy; RIRS, retrograde intrarenal surgery; Renal stones; SmPCNL, standard mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy; TmPCNL, tubeless mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy; Tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy