Minimally invasive PCNL (mini-perc). Alternative treatment modality or replacement of conventional PCNL?

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is the current treatment modality of choice for upper urinary tract calculi. For stones with a diameter > 2 cm and in lower calyceal stones and diverticular stones, the stone-free rate of SWL is rather poor. In these cases, conventional percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) leads to an increased stone-free rate, but morbidity with conventional PCNL is significant higher than in SWL. With the invention of miniaturized nephroscopes (mini-perc), new treatment options are available. The experience based on hundreds of treatments using mini-perc show comparable results of mini-perc to conventional PCNL and a complication rate comparable to that for SWL. These favorable results are independent of stone size, stone location, and patient age. In summary, mini-perc can be recommended as a primary approach to stones of the upper urinary tract exceeding 1 cm, larger lower-pole stones, and calyceal diverticular stones. Mini-perc can be regarded as an alternative treatment modality to conventional PCNL.