Supracostal PCNL-Standard Nephrostomy with Day Long Pain Versus Painless Tubeless

Objective: To determine the scope of tubeless (TL) supracostal percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in terms of safety through a randomized controlled trial. Materials and Methods: Adult patients (>14 years) undergoing supracostal PCNL were randomized into two groups (25 patients each), by randomizing odd number for supracostal PCNL with tube (WT) as group A and for TL supracostal PCNL as group B. Both groups received injectable analgesia on operative day and oral analgesia from the first post-operative day. Pain severity was objectively assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS). Chest X-ray and kidney ultrasonography were done to detect any pleural effusion and perinephric collection. These complications along with thoracostomy and endotracheal intubation were compared between the groups. Results: The mean (VAS) score in group A and B was 7.88±0.83 and 4.12±0.83, respectively (p=0.01). Four of 25 (16%) patients in group A and 1 of 25 (4%) patients in group B developed pleural effusion. Two patients (8%) in group A and 1 patient (4%) in group B required tube thoracostomy (p=0.56). One patient (4%) in group A and 2 patients (8%) in group B developed perinephric collection (p=0.56). A single patient in each group (2%) developed respiratory distress needing elective intubation and ventilation (p=1.00). The mean hospital stay in group B (4.12±0.52 days) was shorter than in group A (4.68±0.85 days) (p=0.01). Conclusion: Tubeless supracostal PCNL is less painful than supracostal PCNL WT, without difference in complication rates. Supracostal PCNL (TL) has a shorter hospital stay