Factors predicting infectious complications following percutaneous nephrolithotomy

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictors of infectious complications following percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in a prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 332 patients with renal or upper ureteric calculi who underwent PCNL between January 2013 and June 2014 were included in the study. Infectious complications included febrile urinary tract infection and septicemia. The patients were divided into Group A and B depending on whether they developed or did not develop infectious complications. Patient, stone, renal, and procedure-related factors were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There was no significant (P > 0.05) correlation among age (37.03 ± 16.24 vs. 36.72 ± 14.88), sex, and body mass index (21.00 ± 1.77 vs. 21.03 ± 2.25) between Group A and B. The patients in Group A were found to have significantly higher incidence of renal failure (39.5% vs. 9.2%,P= 0.0001), diabetes mellitus (12 [31.5%] vs. 33 [11.2%],P= 0.0001), previous percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tube placement (11 [28%] vs. 21 [7.1%]P= 0.0001), moderate to severe hydronephrosis (HDN), larger stone surface area (812.68 ± 402.07 vs. 564.92 ± 361.32,P= 0.0001), mean number of punctures (1.57 ± 0.50 vs. 1.20 ± 0.47,P= 0.002), and mean duration of surgery (94.28 ± 18.23 vs. 69.12 ± 21.23,P= 0.0001) than Group B. CONCLUSION: Post-PCNL infectious complications were found to be more common in patients with renal failure, diabetes mellitus, preoperative PCN placement, staghorn calculi, severe HDN, multiple punctures, and prolonged duration of surgery.