Percutaneous nephrolithotomy under total X-ray free technique in horseshoe kidney stones: a 10-year experience from a large stone center.

Objectives: To report outcomes of complete ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for horseshoe kidney (HSK) stones at a high-volume center and evaluate a novel technique (Needle-perc-assisted endoscopic surgery, NAES) for these patients.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all HSK stone patients who underwent PCNL at our institution over a 10-year period. The NAES technique was utilized during the most recent 4 years. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics were analyzed, comparing traditional PCNL with NAES.

Results: Successful renal access was achieved in all 82 procedures. One-stage surgery was performed in 62 renal units (75.6%), while 20 (24.4%) required second-stage surgery. The final stone-free rate (SFR) was 74.4% (61/82). The prone position was predominantly used (96.3%), and the upper calyx was the initial target in 87.8% (72/82) of renal units. Residual stones were most frequently located in the isthmus (76.2%, 16/21) and lower calyx (23.8%, 5/21). Patients were stratified into NAES (n = 35) and conventional PCNL (n = 47) groups. The NAES group demonstrated significantly higher SFR (85.7% vs. 68.1%, p = 0.025), improved pain scores on postoperative day 1 (POD1), and shorter hospital stays.

Conclusion: Complete ultrasound-guided PCNL is safe and effective for HSK stones. The NAES technique significantly enhances stone clearance rates and improves patient outcomes in this cohort.