Urologist Directed Percutaneous Nephrostomy Tube Placement: 6 Years Experience

Aim: To report our results on percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) and classify our complications with the modified Clavien Classification System (CCS) in 6 years. Material and Method: Eight hundred fourteen PCN insertions were performed in 722 patients (538 men and 184 women) at our institution. PCN insertion was performed under ultrasound for dilated pelvicalyceal system and ultrasound/fluoroscopy for nondilated system. PCN was considered successful if the catheter was drained urine spontaneously. Number of complications was registered. Results: Primary successful PCN insertion was achieved in 770 of the 814 procedures (94.5%). The success rates for nondilated and dilated systems were 71.1% and 97.7%, respectively. Our overall complication rate was 17.3%. According to the modified CCS grades I, II, III, IV, and V were 9%, 1.2%, 6.2%, 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.4% and 0.1%, respectively. Age, grade of the hydronephrosis, serum creatinine levels, and mean hemoglobin levels were statistically significant parameters for the occurrence of complications. The nondilated system has statistically significant parameter affecting the complication rates. Discussion: Percutaneous nephrostomy is a well-known procedure in the treatment of temporary or permanent drainage of an obstructed system. It is very important to define the complications related to interventions for interpretation of clinical comparisons more accurately. Modified CCS is a reproducible system to evaluate the complications of PCN