Tail stent versus re-entry tube: a randomized comparison after percutaneous stone extraction.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To evaluate the efficacy of a 7F tail stent with an 18F Councill nephrostomy tube and compare it to a 24F re-entry Malecot nephrostomy tube after percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

METHODS:

Forty patients were prospectively randomized to receive either a 24F re-entry Malecot nephrostomy tube (group A, n = 20) or a 7F tail stent with an 18F Councill nephrostomy tube (group B, n = 20) for postoperative drainage. Patients were evaluated with an analogue scale questionnaire 15 days after percutaneous nephrolithotomy at the routine office follow-up visit asking them to rate the flank pain on a 0 to 10 scale, urinary urgency on a 0 to 10 scale, and quality of life, while the external drainage tubes were still in place.

RESULTS:

The mean length of stay was 4.5 and 3.5 days for groups A and B, respectively. Flank urine leakage was present in all patients in group A for a period of 6 to 12 hours, and no patient in group B had any significant flank drainage. A statistically significant reduction of flank pain in favor of group B was observed (P = 0.0002). We did not observe any statistically significant difference when evaluating the urgency (P = 0.1) and quality-of-life scores (P = 0.09) between the two groups, even though a trend was noted toward amelioration in favor of group B patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results of the present study suggest that the 7F tail stent is certainly better tolerated by the patients after percutaneous nephrolithotomy compared with the standard 24F re-entry Malecot nephrostomy tube.

• Authors: Evangelos N Liatsikos, David Hom, Caner Z Dinlenc, Rakesh Kapoor, Mihai Alexianu, Paulos Yohannes, Arthur D Smith
• Journal: Urology (Urology) Vol. 59 Issue 1 Pg. 15-9 (Jan 2002) ISSN: 1527-9995 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 11796272 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Topics

• Drainage (instrumentation)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Length of Stay
• Nephrostomy, Percutaneous (instrumentation)
• Pain, Postoperative (prevention & control)
• Prospective Studies
• Quality of Life
• Stents