Laparoscopic pyelolithotomy

Laparoscopic surgery has been applied to virtually every aspect of urinary tract disease. Presented is a case of laparoscopic-extended pyelolithotomy accomplished in a 16-month-old child with a large cystine stone that occupied the child's entire renal pelvis. Although not the first pyelolithotomy accomplished laparoscopically, we believe this to be the first extended laparoscopic pyelolithotomy and also believe this is the youngest patient in whom laparoscopic pyelolithotomy has been done. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and percutaneous and endoscopic stone techniques have drastically modified the management of urolithiasis. However, select cases in which these techniques may not be applicable (such as this toddler with bulky cystine lithiasis) may require open surgery. The laparoscopic approach represents an excellent, yet less-invasive option. Copyright 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc. UROLOGY 49: 131–134, 1997.