Retrospective analysis reveals multiple-tract PCNL has higher complications and longer hospital stays in patients with renal calculi, suggesting careful patient selection.
Key Points
Multiple-tract PCNL showed significantly higher operative time and blood loss compared to single-tract, indicating a greater surgical challenge.
Patients in the multiple-tract group had significantly larger stones and higher complication rates, including postoperative fever and renal function deterioration.
Stone-free rates were slightly lower for multiple-tract PCNL, emphasizing the importance of evaluating the access strategy for complex cases.
Despite its challenges, multiple-tract PCNL offers acceptable stone clearance in difficult cases, calling for diligent surgical planning.