Staged single-tract minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy and flexible ureteroscopy in the treatment of staghorn stone in patients with solitary kidney

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of staged single-tract minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) and flexible ureteroscopy as a minimally invasive option in the treatment of staghorn stone in patients with a solitary kidney. A total of 24 patients with staghorn stone in a solitary kidney were treated with single-tract MPCNL and flexible ureteroscopy by a single surgeon. All the patients underwent single-tract MPCNL through a 20 F tract and had most of the intrarenal calculi removed at the first stage. The second stage of retrograde flexible ureteroscopy was performed 3–5 days later, after the drainage was cleared. The preoperative patient, characteristics, stone size, operative time, renal functional status and postoperative outcomes were then evaluated. Sixteen patients were partial staghorn (66.7 %), and other eight were complete staghorn (33.3 %). The overall stone-free rate was 83.3 % after the second-stage procedures, and only four patients had significant residue. The hemoglobin drop ranged from 1.1 to 3.7 g/dl, and three patients required blood transfusion. The mean serum creatinine value was 1.7 ± 0.5 mg/dl before surgery and 1.3 ± 0.4 mg/dl at the end of the follow-up period with statistical significance (P < 0.05). None of the patients had increased serum creatinine, and needed dialysis at the end of the follow-up period. Staged single-tract MPCNL and flexible ureteroscopy are safe and effective for the management of staghorn stone in patients with a solitary kidney and even in patients with impaired renal functions.