Is it necessary to have a guidewire down through the ureter during mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy? Single-centre experience with 1052 cases.

Objectives: In this study, it is aimed to identify the rate of successful placement of a guidewire down through the ureter during PNL and to compare the outcomes of different locations of guidewires in the collecting system following renal puncture in terms of success and complications rates.

Patients And Methods: Data of 1052 patients who underwent miniPNL in our institution between January 2014 and November 2020 were analysed. Patients were divided into three groups. Group I consisted of patients with the guidewire coiled within the punctured calyx, group II consisted of patients with the guidewire reaching the renal pelvis and group III consisted of patients with the guidewire passed down through the ureter. The groups were compared for successful tract creation and complication rates.

Results: There were 303 (28.8%) patients in group I, 330 (31.4%) patients in group II and 419 (39.8%) patients in group III. Successful tract dilation at the first attempt was established in 298 (94.7%) patients in group I, 328 (99.4%) patients in group II and in all of the 419 (100%) patients in group III. Successful tract creation was established in a second attempt in all of the patients failed in the first attempt. The groups were similar for stone-free and complication rates.

Conclusions: Placement of guidewire down through the ureter could not be established in more than 60% of the cases. Location of guidewire prior to dilation did not affect the outcomes. Therefore, we suggest to proceed with tract creation even when the guidewire coils within the punctured calyx.