Kidney Stone Surgery on the Rise and Leading to More Complications.

Between 1999 and 2009, use of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) – using a hollow scope to remove kidney stones through an incision in the back – increased in men from 3.0 to 3.63 per 100,000 and in women from 2.99 to 4.07 per 100,000. Baseline comorbidity of patients undergoing PCNL increased over time. Complications increased from 12.2% to 15.6%, with sepsis increasing from 1.2% to 2.4%. Mortality rates remained stable, ranging from zero to 0.4%. Complications arose most often in patients who were older, sicker, and treated more recently, according to findings published in the Journal of Urology.