Comparative analysis of complications associated with percutaneous nephrostomy: suction tubes versus pigtail catheters
Keywords:
percutaneous nephrostomy, complication, dislodgement, obstruction, urinary tract infectionAbstract
Background: Percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) is a common treatment for urinary tract obstruction, with the pigtail catheter being the standard choice. Due to cost considerations, some urologists use suction tubes instead. This study aimed to compare the rates of dislodgement, obstruction and febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) between pigtail and suction tube nephrostomy catheters.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from patients who underwent PCN at Phayao Hospital from January 2018 to September 2022. Included patients had a PCN tube in place for more than 30 days. Data collected included catheter type (suction tube or pigtail catheter), the length of time between catheter changes, and the occurrence of dislodgement, obstruction and febrile UTI.
Results: A total of 429 cases were reviewed. Among them, 83.9% used suction tube catheters, while 16.1% used pigtail catheters. The mean time between catheter changes was 31.1 (±10.8) days for suction tubes and 94.6 (±26.6) days for pigtail catheters. The suction tube group had significantly higher rates of dislodgement (IRR=7.43, p=0.021), obstruction (IRR=12.14, p=0.016) and overall complications (IRR=9.39, p=0.001) compared to the pigtail catheter group. However, no significant difference was found in febrile UTI rates (IRR=13.34, p=0.123).
Conclusion: Suction tube nephrostomy catheters have higher rates of dislodgement, obstruction and overall complications compared to pigtail catheters.
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