Overview
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (also known as PCNL, PNL, and percutaneous nephrolithotripsy) is the most effective treatment for large kidney stones, staghorn calculi, cystine stones, kidneys with multiple stones, and stones associated with UPJ obstruction ( a type of kidney outlet obstruction). It is also used for patients who have tried lithotripsy but still have a large stone burden. At Associated Urologists of Orange County, large kidney stone treatment includes this important, and often best or most effective treatment option.
PCNL has been proven to be more successful and less expensive than ESWL (lithotripsy) for stones larger than 2 cm. ESWL for large kidney stones often requires multiple rounds of lithotripsy, each requiring time off work and several weeks to pass fragments before the next round of treatment. For this reason, even though PCNL requires an overnight hospital admission, the total time off work and recover is less than ESWL for treatment of these large renal stones. Therefore, it is considered the best treatment for large kidney stones.