EMC friends, do you know what PCNL is?
PCNL ( Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy ) itself is a treatment that is usually used for kidney stones that form in the urinary tract due to the crystallization of chemical compounds in a human's urine. PCNL itself is a technique that is usually used to remove certain crystals or stones in the kidneys or upper ureters (the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder).
The PCNL procedure will be carried out by a urologist, by making a small incision in the back or side to access the kidney and remove kidney stones.
Why PCNL?
A person certainly cannot pass a kidney stone on their own, especially if the size of the stone is large enough to be treated with shock wave lithotripsy or laser ureteroscopy. In this condition, PCNL is the best option.
In some kidney stone sufferers, the crystals come out on their own and do not require surgery. There is also a perception circulating within the community that the rock crystals have come out by themselves, people assume that all the stones/crystals have come out, but this indicates that there are stones/crystals that have not come out.
After carrying out an examination by a urologist, the patient/sufferer of kidney stones will be given drug therapy, shock wave lithotripsy or laser ureteroscopy. However, if this technique is not possible then the PCNL technique will be the next option.
This PCNL procedure has been performed on many patients over the past several years and is the accepted standard of care for patients with kidney stones that are large, very hard, or resistant to other forms of stone treatment. Therefore, this surgery has replaced open surgery for kidney stones in most of the patients.
This PCNL procedure is carried out by making a small incision measuring 1 cm in the patient's pelvic area. A tube is placed through the incision into the kidney under x-ray guidance. A small telescope is then inserted through the tube to visualize the stone, break it up and remove it from the body. If necessary, a laser or another device called a lithotripter may be used to break up the stone before it can be removed.
The advantages of the PCNL technique include:
- This procedure results in significantly less post-operative pain
- Shorter hospital stay
- Time to return to work and daily activities is faster compared to open stone surgery
- Relatively safer
- Has a higher success rate in clearing all stones in one situation compared to other techniques such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which often requires several attempts to remove crystals that have formed in the Kidney.
EMC Tangerang Hospital is committed to providing the best service for patients with the latest technology and optimal service quality. The PCNL technique has been successfully used in many patients suffering from kidney stones. For further information, please contact our Marketing, Ekha (081808180812) / Visca (082110321565).
Article written by dr. Arie Asnafi, Sp.U (Urological Surgery Specialist at EMC Tangerang Hospital).