Nephropexy Using Percutaneous Nephrostomy (PCN)

Yang, Kang Ho; Cho, Dae Haeng; Shin, Myung Sik; Lee, Dong Whan; Hwang, Tae Kon

Abstract

For the past two years, nephropexy using PCN was underwent in 9 cases of nephroptosis (8 patients) with variable degrees of flank pain. All were female and 6 on right, 1 on left and 1 on bilateral. All patients had a very mobile kidney and exact distance of movement measured on the film was greater than 6cm (6 to 15 cm). After this operation, 14-20 Fr. nephrostomy catheter was indwelled for about two weeks. All patients were followed at least 3 months(3 to 32, median 17 months). We followed the patients with symptom relief and IVP after 3 months. Nephropexy was regarded as success if she remained asymptomatic for more than 3 months. Five cases were successful and four cases felt recurrent flank pain within 1 month after the surgery. Among four cases of recurrence, one had repeated PCN and got successful result, another had open nephropexy and the others have been followed so far So overall success rate was 67% (6/9). In conclusion, nephropexy using PCN is less invasive, needs shorter period of admission and leaves ignorable scars postoperatively. Furthermore it can be repeated even in the case of failure or recurrence, which would make this new technique available as the first step for the surgical treatment of nephroptosis. And the success rate could be increased if the nephrostomy tract is dilated upto 30 Fr. and the PCN catheter is placed about 4 weeks.