title: The role of ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the treatment of kidney stones.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In our study we aimed to evaluate outcomes of ultra-mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (UMP) performed for the treatment of kidney stones.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2014 and September 2015, a single surgeon performed UMP on a total of 49 consecutive patients with symptomatic kidney stones at our center. Pregnants, anticogulant users, patients with bleeding diathesis pyonephrosis, and partial/complete staghorn stones were excluded from the study. Patient characteristics, operative data and postoperative outcomes were assessed in detail.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The UMP was performed on 50 (34 right/16 left) renal units of the 48 (28 male/20 female) patients included in this study. The mean age and body mass index was 36.5 (2-83) years and 26.2 (17.6-32.8) kg/m2, respectively. Mean stone size was calculated as 22.2 (10-55) mm. The mean durations of the operations and fluoroscopic examination were calculated as 65.4 (20-120) minutes and 89.4 (9-322) seconds, respectively. The mean duration of hospitalization was 1.4 (1-5) days. In 52% of the patients the procedure was terminated tubeless. Mean hemoglobin drop was 0.6 (0-3) g/dL. Our series experienced a 10% complication rate. The UMP procedure was successful in 96% of the renal units at the 1stmonth control visit assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outcomes of our study have demonstrated that UMP is an effective and safe treatment modality, especially in the treatment of medium-sized renal calculi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bezmialem Vakif University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdulkadir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tepeler
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bezmialem Vakif University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: İsmail
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Başıbüyük
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bezmialem Vakif University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosun
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Bezmialem Vakif University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armağan
keywords: Efficacy; kidney stone; safety; ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy