Nephrolithotomy

A surgery to remove kidney stones that are too large to pass on their own. When other methods of removing kidney stones are unsuccessful or impossible, a urologist will usually recommend percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). “Percutaneous” means that the procedure is done through the skin. “Nephrolithotomy” means that the stone is removed from the kidney. The procedure takes three to four hours to complete. Risks include blood in the urine, blood clots, infection, and healing problems. Recovery takes two to four weeks. Although PCNL is a minimally invasive surgery that has fewer complications and allows you to recover more quickly than open surgery, it is still a major surgery.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy has a success rate of approximately 75 to 98 percent.