Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Or Nephrolithotripsy

Treatment Overview

This procedure is used to remove kidney stones.

The doctor makes a small incision in your back. The doctor then puts a hollow tube into your kidney and a probe through the tube.

• In nephrolithotomy, the doctor removes the stone through the tube.
• In nephrolithotripsy, the doctor breaks the stone up and then removes the fragments of the stone through the tube.

You need either general anesthesia or regional or spinal anesthesia during this procedure. A small tube (catheter) may be inserted into the kidney to drain urine until the kidney heals.