What does percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) involve?

PCNL is a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove large or complex kidney stones, such as staghorn calculi. Under general anesthesia, a small incision (about 1 cm) is made in your back, and a nephroscope is inserted directly into the kidney through a puncture tract. The stones are then fragmented using ultrasonic or laser energy and extracted through the scope. The procedure typically takes 1–2 hours and requires a hospital stay of 5–7 days for monitoring and recovery.