Operating Endoscopically with “Two Hands” to Remove Calcified Permanent Suture After Pyeloplasty

We describe a combined percutaneous and endoscopic approach to remove encrusted permanent suture in the renal pelvis that was placed during pyeloplasty repair. Our index patient had a laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty at an outside institution 10 years before presenting with flank pain and nondependent nephrolithiasis. This proved to be an encrusted permanent suture material. There is limited data on incidence of nephrolithiasis after ureteropelvic junction repair, but it is well documented that nonabsorbable suture lines should be avoided in the urinary tract as they may serve as a nidus for stone formation.