Laparoscopic Pyelolithotomy in a Horseshoe Kidney : A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A 76-year-old man was introduced to our department with a right kidney stone. On the basis of further examination, he was diagnosed with a 23 mm right kidney stone accompanied with a horseshoe kidney. Retrograde pyelography and diuretic renogram revealed a non-obstructed right ureteropelvic junction. Finally, we chose laparoscopic pyelolithotomy via peritoneal approach because the stone was large and accompanied with a horseshoe kidney. The surgery took 165 minutes and the estimated blood loss was 25 ml. There were no minor or major complications. Because horseshoe kidney has anatomical abnormalities, it seems to be necessary to consider a different treatment strategy from that of an upper urinary tract stone in a healthy kidney. We assume that laparoscopic pyelolithotomy is an effective and safe procedure for renal pelvic stones in the case of a horseshoe kidney