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The residual fragments in patients with preoperative and intraoperative culture positivity may serve as an infection focus. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of residual fragments for developing SIRS in patients with stone culture and/or RPUC positivity. After obtaining institutional review board approval, a total of 729 patients who undergone PCNL for renal stones were included in this study. Residual fragments accepted to be positive if any fragment was detected irrespective of size. All patients were followed-up postoperatively for SIRS criteria. The patients were then followed-up for residual stone-related events and infectious complications. 94 of the 729 patients have developed SIRS postoperatively. SIRS positivity was more common among males and found to be associated with higher stone burden and presence of staghorn stone. Patients with residual fragments after PCNL also had higher rates of SIRS. In the subgroup analysis of 203 patients who had post-PCNL residual fragments, the peroperative stone and/or RPUC positivity was not found to be associated with the development of the SIRS. Although presence of residual fragments after PCNL is associated with SIRS development, stone culture and/or RPUC positivity has no additional risk for development of post-PCNL infectious complications in patients with residual fragments.

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of the CROES nephrolithometric nomogram and S.T.O.N.E. scoring system in predicting PCNL outcomes in terms of stone-free rate, estimated blood loss (EBL), operative time (OR), length of hospital stay (LOS), and complications. Patients who underwent PCNL for renal stones between May 2012 and January 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients' demographic characteristics and operational features were recorded prospectively in all patients postoperatively. S.T.O.N.E. and CROES nephrolithometry scores' correlation with stone-free status, operation and fluoroscopy time, length of hospital stay (LOS) and blood loss (BL) was evaluated. Patients were categorized according to S.T.O.N.E. nephrolithometry and CROES nephrolithometry scores. Postoperative complications were graded according to modified Clavien classification (Dindo et al. in Ann Surg 240:205-213, 2004) and the correlation of both scoring systems with postoperative complications was also evaluated. We identified 437 patients who underwent PCNL between May 2012 and January 2015. A total of 262 patients who are available data for the CROES and S.T.O.N.E. scoring systems were included in the recent study. The mean S.T.O.N.E score was 7.65 ± 1.56 and the mean CROES score was 191.13 ± 64.39. The overall stone-free rate was 71.4%. Of the 262 patients, 89 experienced postoperative complications. Stone-free patients had significantly lower BMI (<0.001) and stone burden (p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that both scoring systems were significantly associated with stone-free rates and operation time. We demonstrated that S.T.O.N.E. and CROES scoring systems were useful for predicting post-PCNL stone-free status. But both scoring systems were not useful for predicting post-PCNL complications.

We aimed to evaluate the use of twinkling artifact (TA) on color Doppler ultrasonography (USG) as an alternative imaging modality to non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) in patients with ureteral stones in this prospective study. Totally, 106 consecutive patients who had been diagnosed with ureterolithiasis by CT were enrolled in this prospective study. A urinary system color Doppler ultrasonography was performed on the same day with CT by an experienced radiologist who was blinded to the CT scan. TA was graded as 0, 1 and 2. The overall specificity of TA was calculated according to the NCCT as a gold standard method. The size, side and localization of stone and the demographic characteristics of patients were compared with twinkling positivity. TA on color Doppler USG was detected in 92 (86.8 %) patients. Statistically significant difference was found between the TA and localization of ureteral stones (p = 0.044). When we sub-grouped the patients according to the TA grades as 0, 1 and 2, 14 patients were with TA grade 0, 55 with TA grade 1 and 37 with TA grade 2. The mean stone size of groups was significantly different (p = 0.012). Bigger and proximal ureteral stones tended to have more TA on color Doppler USG. TA on color Doppler USG could be a good and safe alternative imaging modality with comparable results between NCCT. It could be useful for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with ureterolithiasis.

The aim of the study was to assess the preoperative and intraoperative potential risk factors for infectious complications after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). A total of 303 patients who underwent PCNL for renal stones were included in the recent study. A detailed history including past renal surgery, nephrostomy insertion and recurrent urinary infection were obtained from all patients. Preoperative urine culture, renal pelvic urine culture and stone culture were obtained from all patients. The intraoperative data were prospectively noted. All patients were followed up postoperatively for signs of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis. In 83 (27.4%) of the patients, SIRS was observed and of these patients 23 (7.6%) were diagnosed as sepsis. Escherichia coli was the most common organism detected in cultures, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus and Klebsiella spp. in all patients. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, presence of infection stone, stone burden and recurrent urinary tract infection were associated with both SIRS and sepsis development. Presence of infection stone, stone burden ≥800 mm(2) and recurrent urinary tract infection can be identified as independent predictors for the development of SIRS and sepsis.