Comparison of Single-Step Balloon Dilatation and Serial Metallic Dilatation during Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51985/Keywords:
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy; balloon dilatation; tract dilatation; renal calculi; stone clearance; hemoglobin.Abstract
Objective: To compare perioperative outcomes of single-step balloon dilatation and serial metallic dilatation during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).
Study Design and Setting: Prospective comparative quasi-experimental study conducted in the Department of Urology, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur.
Methodology: A total of 214 adults with 2-4 cm renal stones were enrolled by consecutive sampling and treated in two groups of 107 according to the study protocol: single-step balloon dilatation or serial metallic dilatation. Outcomes included tract-creation time, operative time, hemoglobin drop, stone clearance, blood transfusion, postoperative fever, collectingsystem injury, and hospital stay. Continuous outcomes were compared with independent-samples t tests. For categorical outcomes, Pearson chi-square was used when expected cell counts were adequate and Fisher exact test when expected counts were small.
Results: Single-step balloon dilatation was associated with shorter tract-creation time (2.42 +/- 0.54 vs 4.08 +/- 0.67 min, p<0.001), shorter operative time (88.9 +/- 18.6 vs 97.4 +/- 20.9 min, p=0.002), lower hemoglobin drop (1.08 +/- 0.39 vs 1.43 +/- 0.46 g/dL, p<0.001), and shorter hospital stay (2.44 +/- 0.79 vs 3.04 +/- 0.92 days, p<0.001). Stone clearance was 87.9% versus 72.9% (Pearson chi-square p=0.006). Transfusion occurred in 2.8% versus 9.3% (Pearson chi-square p=0.045). Conclusion: In this study, single-step balloon dilatation was associated with shorter tract-creation and operative times, lower hemoglobin drop, shorter hospital stay, and higher observed stone clearance than serial metallic dilatation
Downloads
References
1. Peerapen P, Thongboonkerd V. Kidney stone prevention. Adv
Nutr. 2023;14(3):555-569. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.03.005.
2. Skolarikos A, Neisius A, Petøík A, Somani B, Thomas K,
Gambaro G, et al. European Association of Urology Guidelines
on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urolithiasis. Eur Urol.
2025;88(1):64-75. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2025.03.011.
3. Geraghty RM, Davis NF, Tzelves L, Lombardo R, Yuan C,
Thomas K, et al. Best practice in interventional management
of urolithiasis: an update from the European Association of
Urology Guidelines Panel for Urolithiasis 2022. Eur Urol
Focus. 2023;9(1):199-208. doi:10.1016/j.euf.2022.06.014.
4. Memik O, Voyvoda B, Ustuner M, Karsli O, Halat AO, Ozcan
L. What is the safe and effective dilator number during access
in PCNL? Three-shot dilation versus classical sequential
Amplatz dilation. BMC Urol. 2023;23:197. doi:10.1186/
s12894-023-01368-6.
5. Mohyelden K, Abdel-Rassoul M, Dogha M, Kadry A, Mostafa
A. One-shot dilatation vs metal dilator during percutaneous
nephrolithotomy in flank-free supine position: a randomized
controlled study. J Endourol. 2022;36(6):727-733.
doi:10.1089/end.2021.0378.
6. Özbilen MH, Ergani B, Çetin T, Yalçýn MY, Bildirici Ç,
Karaca E, et al. Comparison of safety and efficacy of one
shot dilation vs. gradual dilation technique in supine
percutaneous nephrolithotomy. World J Urol. 2023;41(6):1659-
1666. doi:10.1007/s00345-023-04393-0.
7. Gupta NK, Huda NA, Pal DK. A comparative study between
one step dilatation and serial dilatation technique in
percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Urologia. 2024;91(2):332-
336. doi:10.1177/03915603231202839.
8. Wishahi M, El Feel A, Elkhouly A, Fahmy A, Roshdy M,
Elbaz AG, et al. Concerns about stone free rate and procedure
events of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy for 2-4 cm kidney
stones by standard-PCNL versus mini-PCNL: comparative
randomised study. BMC Urol. 2023;23:96. doi:10.1186/
s12894-023-01270-1.
9. Khwairakpam A, Singh S, Sharan P, Adhikari A, Mehra DS,
Yadav S. A comparison of the Alken metallic telescopic dilator
and Amplatz serial dilator for renal access in percutaneous
nephrolithotomy. Cureus. 2024;16(10):e72509. doi:10.7759/
cureus.72509.
10. Saleem M, Fareed W, Akbar HM, Idrees M, El Khalid S,
Siddiqui SH. Comparison of outcomes of one step dilatation
versus metallic telescopic dilatation in percutaneous
nephrolithotomy. J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol. 2024;31(6):
2620-2627. doi:10.53555/jptcp.v31i6.6996.
11. Ning Y, Zhu W, Chen H, Xiong Y, Li H, Li L, et al.
Effectiveness and safety of four tract dilation methods of
percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a meta-analysis. Exp Ther
Med. 2020;19(4):2661-2671. doi:10.3892/etm.2020.8486.
12. Gökce MI, Ibis MA, Suer E, Gulpinar O, Bedir S, Akdogan
B. The feasibility and safety of one-shot dilatation compared
to conventional sequential dilatation in tubeless percutaneous
nephrolithotomy: a prospective randomized controlled study.
Urolithiasis. 2023;51(1):5. doi:10.1007/s00240-022-01383-
6.
13. Zhang Y, Yang Z, Tang Y, Wang J, Liu C, Wang Y, et al.
Comparing balloon dilation to non-balloon dilation for access
in ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a
systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Braz J Urol.
2024;50(3):296-309. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2023.
0407.
14. Yuan P, Cao Y, Wang J, Chen Y, Wu W, Li X, et al. Safety
and efficacy of enhanced recovery after surgery among patients
undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a systematic review
and meta-analysis. Int J Surg. 2024;110(6):3768-3777.
doi:10.1097/JS9.0000000000001158.
15. Chen Y, Wang X, Gao X, Liu C, Li Z, Zhang Z, et al.
Comparison of safety and efficacy of different positions in
percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a network meta-analysis. Int
Urol Nephrol. 2024;56(8):2411-2420. doi:10.1007/s11255-
024-03937-3.
16. Huang X, Liu S, Wu G, Wu J, Zhang Y, Wei W, et al.
Postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis for percutaneous
nephrolithotomy and risk of infection: a systematic review
and meta-analysis. Int Braz J Urol. 2024;50(2):152-163.
doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2023.0265
17. Rudnick B, Bundschuh P, Thiele S, Netsch C, Bach T, Gross
AJ, et al. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy vs retrograde intrarenal
surgery for renal stones: a Cochrane Review. BJU Int.
2024;133(2):132-140. doi:10.1111/bju.16220.
18. Zeng G, Zhong W, Pearle M, Preminger G, Monga M,
Hajdinjak T, et al. An update on miniaturized percutaneous
nephrolithotomy: indications, technique and outcomes. Asian
J Urol. 2021;8(4):342-350. doi:10.1016/j.ajur.2021.02.003.
19. Aldoukhi AH, Roberts WW, Hall TL, Ghani KR. Percutaneous
nephrolithotomy with suction: is this the future? Curr Opin
Urol. 2021;31(2):138-143. doi:10.1097/ MOU. 00000000000
00854.
20. Mousawi SA, Guzel R, Zaid M, Eryildirim B, Sarica K. Minipercutaneous nephrolithotomy in the management of large
and complex renal calculi in children: how effective is it? J
Endourol. 2023;37(5):497-504. doi:10.1089/end.2022.0508.
21. Cindolo L, Castellan P, Scoffone CM, Cracco CM, Celia A,
Bassi PF, et al. Evaluation of flexible ureteroscopy versus
percutaneous nephrolithotomy in renal stones: contemporary
evidence and clinical implications. Minerva Urol Nephrol.
2022;74(4):392-405. doi:10.23736/S2724-6051.22.04759-5.
22. Ding T, Xu R, Li Y, Ma X, Li X, Zhou X, et al. Comparison
of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy versus retrograde
intrarenal surgery for kidney stones in overweight or obese
patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Urol.
2024;24:233. doi:10.1186/s12894-024-01588-4
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Journal of Bahria University Medical & Dental College is an open access journal and is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. which permits unrestricted non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0