title: [MicroPerc: Fashion or reality.]
abstract: Miniaturization in percutaneous surgery has seen its zenith in microperc. Technological advances have enabled us to treat renal lithiasis through a 4.8 Ch. caliper percutaneous access. According to published literature, the technique is reproducible and when applied to small and medium size renal lithiasis has a high success rate keepin a low complication rate. Its main advantage is the absence of tract dilatation, diminishing the bleeding risk inherent to percutaneous access, postoperative pain and hospital stay. Nevertheless, it presents a series of technical limitations: low maneuverability and versatility, impossible extraction of significant fragments, limited vision and high intrarenal pressure. Does microperc have a place among proven techniques such as SWL, flexible ureteroscopy or minipercutaneous surgery? In our article we try to answer this question by reviewing the available literature, and review all technical features, advantages and limitations of the procedure at the same time.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Urología. Hospital Universitario Río Hortega. Valladolid. España.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cepeda
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Urología. Hospital Universitario Río Hortega. Valladolid. España.
authors.forename: José H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Amón
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D008904:Miniaturization; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*