To compare the technical features of ultrasound-guided lateral puncture and head-end puncture in percutaneous nephrolithotripsy.

A retrospective analysis was performed on 30 patients with complete or partial staghorn calculi but without hydronephrosis in the middle-back calyces who were treated by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy at Peking University Shougang Hospital from April 2017 to July 2019. They were divided into a lateral puncture group (15 cases) and a head-end puncture group (15 cases). The t-test was used to compare the time of finding the puncture route, the successful puncture time, and the number of times of puncture between the two groups. Serious complications were also recorded.

There was a statistically significant difference between the lateral puncture group and the head-end puncture group in the time of finding the puncture route [(37.82±8.94) s vs (51.83±13.16) s, t=2.712, P=0.019] and the successful puncture time (51.36±24.10) s vs (29.20±12.35) s, t=4.122, P=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the number of times of puncture [(2.13±0.74) vs (1.73±0.70), t=1.382, P=0.189]. There was no significant organ injury or postoperative hemorrhage in either group.

The lateral puncture and head-end puncture have their own advantages in ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. No matter which puncture technique is mastered, accurate puncture can be achieved.