PURPOSE: To review our experience with the management of fragmented and retained pigtail percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tubes and to explore the reasons for the fragmentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our institute database from January 2006 to December 2011 for patients who had undergone retrieval of fragmented PCN tubes. We assessed the preoperative factors, operative technique, and post-operative outcomes. RESULTS: A total of seven patients (4 males and 3 females) had been diagnosed with fragmented PCN tubes. The mean age of the patients was 41.5 years. Of the seven patients, five required antegrade instrumentation by way of a percutaneous tract to remove the foreign body, mostly along with stone retrieval. One patient underwent ureterorenoscopy and pneumolithotripsy for a ureteric stone along with ureteroscopic removal of the PCN fragment. Another patient underwent nephrectomy of the kidney containing the PCN fragment because it had become nonfunctioning. All patients were free of stones and symptoms on follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A prolonged waiting period for definitive surgery, urinary infection, and associated stone disease are significant factors causing fragmentation of PCN tubes. Proper insertion techniques, regular timed changes of the PCN tube, appropriate care of the PCN tube, and early surgery for underlying stone disease are required to avoid this complication. Patients with retained PCN tubes can be managed effectively with antegrade or retrograde endoscopic techniques while definitive management of the primary pathology is carried out, without any additional morbidity.
Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Calculi ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; Polyurethanes ; Pregnenolone Carbonitrile ; Pyonephrosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ureter

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of visual internal urethrotomy with a holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser along with intralesional triamcinolone injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with an anterior urethral stricture less than 3 cm in length were evaluated by clinical history, physical examination, uroflowmetry, and retrograde urethrogram preoperatively. All patients were treated with holmium laser urethrotomy and intralesional triamcinolone (80 mg) injection under general or regional anesthesia. An 18 F urethral catheter was placed for 5 days. All patients were followed up for 12 months postoperatively by history, uroflowmetry, and if required, retrograde urethrogram or urethroscopy every 3 months. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 42.9 years (range, 14 to 70 years). The overall recurrence rate was 24%. The success rate in patients with strictures less than 1 cm in length was 95.8%, whereas that in patients with strictures of 1 to 3 cm in length was 57.7% (p=0.002). The outcome did not depend on age, duration of symptoms, etiology, or location of stricture. CONCLUSIONS: Holmium laser urethrotomy with intralesional triamcinolone is a safe and effective minimally invasive therapeutic modality for urethral strictures. This procedure has an encouraging success rate, especially in those with stricture segments of less than 1 cm in length.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Holmium ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Physical Examination ; Recurrence ; Triamcinolone ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Catheters

PURPOSE: To compare the safety and efficacy of naftopidil and tamsulosin with prednisolone as medical expulsive therapy for distal ureteric stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 2010 and March 2012, 120 adult patients presenting with distal ureteric stones of size 5 to 10 mm were randomized equally to tamsulosin (group A), naftopidil (group B) or watchful waiting (group C). Tamsulosin or naftopidil was given for a maximum of four weeks. In addition patients in group A and B were given 5 mg prednisolone once daily (maximum one week). Stone expulsion rate, time to stone expulsion, analgesic use, number of hospital visits for pain, follow-up and endoscopic treatment and adverse effects of drugs were noted. Statistical analyses were done using chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test and analysis of variance. RESULTS: There was a statistically higher expulsion rate in groups A (70%) and B (87.5%) as compared to group C (32.5%) (p<0.001). The expulsion rates were not statistically different between groups A and B (p=0.056). The mean time to expulsion was comparable between groups A and B but longer in group C. Analgesic use was significantly lower in groups A and B. Average number of hospital visits for pain, follow-up and endoscopic treatment was similar in all groups. There was no serious adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: Medical expulsive therapy for the distal ureteric stones using either naftopidil or tamsulosin in combination with prednisolone is safe and efficacious.
Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Naphthalenes ; Piperazines ; Prednisolone ; Sulfonamides ; Ureter ; Ureteral Calculi ; Watchful Waiting