Objectives:

To describe the surgical technique and the clinical characteristics of the patients that underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy, with ultrasound-guided renal access, at the Hospital Regional De Alta Especialidad de la Península de Yucatán, within the time frame of January 2019 and January 2021.

Materials and methods:

A retrospective, descriptive, observational study was carried out utilizing the medical files of 22 patients diagnosed with kidney stones and corroborated through tomography that underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy with ultrasound-guided puncture.

Results:

Twenty-two percutaneous nephrolithotomies with ultrasound-guided renal access were performed within the time frame of January 2019 and January 2021. A total of 72.7% of the patients were women and 27.3% were men. Fifty percent of the patients were obese, 68.2% had an ASA 2 anesthetic risk, 22.7% an ASA 3, and 9.1% (2) an ASA 1. According to the Guy’s Stone Score, 40.9% of the patients had grade III stones and 27.3% had grade IV. Among the surgical characteristics: the tract was established by an endourology fellow in 45.5% of the patients, by an R5 in 22.7%, an R4 in 9.1%, and by an endourology staff physician in 22.7%. A total of 45.5% of the patients required one puncture, 5 patients required two, 5 patients required three, one patient required four, and one patient required more than five punctures. Tract creation was successful in 95.5% of the patients and failed in only one. Puncture was carried out employing the Valdivia/Galdakao position in 90.0% (20) of the patients and the prone position in 9.1%. A single tract was established in 95.5%.

Conclusions:

Ultrasound-guided access for percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a safe, effective, radiation-free, and low-cost technique that can be used at any hospital. The technique requires structured training, which should begin at the residency level.