Percutaneous Nephrostomy
SEMINARS IN INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY VOLUME 17, NUMBER 4 2000 Percutaneous Nephrostomy Michael M. Maher, M.D., Timothy Fotheringham, M.D., and Michael J. Lee, M.D. ABSTRACT Percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) is now established as a safe and effective early treatment for patients with urinary tract obstruction. In experienced hands, PCN is usually successful and is associated with low complication rates. This article discusses all aspects of PCN, including the indications and contraindications to PCN, patient preparation, the techniques employed for gaining access to the urinary tract, and placement of the PCN tube. In addition, we discuss the complications of PCN and possible ways of avoiding them, as well as the care of patients following PCN. Keywords: Percutaneous nephrostomy, renal failure, pyonephrosis Urinary tract obstruction invariably requires eral anesthesia is avoided and surrounding organs treatment, and indications for immediate or urgent can be imaged and avoided during PCN. In expert intervention include clinical and laboratory signs of hands, PCN is associated with a major complication underlying sepsis and clinical or radiological signs rate of 4 to 5%4 and a minor complication rate of of pyonephrosis. Urgent intervention is also manda- approximately 15%.1 PCN is usually faster, less ex- tory for the treatment of life-threatening biochemi- pensive, and less likely to be associated with compli- cal abnormalities associated with the rapid onset of cations than is surgery.5 In the current era, PCN renal failure. also allows access to the urinary tract for more In the past decade, image-guided PCN has re- definitive treatment of underlying pathologies such placed the conventional surgical approach for the as percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for temporary drainage of urinary tract obstruction.
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