To observe the effects of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL) combined with negative pressure suction sheath in the treatment of renal and upper ureteral calculi.

Totally 60 patients with renal or upper ureteral calculi surgically treated in our hospital from March 2020 to May 2022 were assigned to two groups by sortition method, with 30 patients in each group in this prospective study. The control group and study group were treated with peel-away sheath and negative pressure suction sheath in addition to PCNL, respectively. The two groups were compared in terms of intra-operative renal pelvic pressure, stone-free time, stone-free rate after the one-stage operation, overall stone-free rate, complications, and laboratory parameters before and after the operation.

The study group had significantly lower intra-operative renal pelvic pressure [(2.0±0.6) kPa vs (16.6±3.7) kPa], postoperative PCT [(0.34±0.10) μg/L vs (0.87±0.22) μg/L], WBC[(6.04±1.55)×10⁹/L vs (9.35±2.17)×10⁹/L] and CRP [(11.56±3.16) mg/L vs (20.35±4.10) mg/L] than the control group (all P<0.05). The study group had a significantly shorter stone-free time than the control group [(79±10) min vs (108±22) min, P<0.05]. The study group had a significantly higher stone-free rate (96.67% vs 73.33%) after the one-stage operation, overall stone-free rate (100.00% vs 80.00%), and postoperative HGB level [(121±13)g/L vs (103±14)g/L] than the control group (all P<0.05). The study group had a significantly lower overall incidence of complications than the control group (3.33% vs 26.67%, P<0.05).

PCNL combined with negative pressure suction sheath in the treatment of renal and upper ureteral calculi increases the stone clearance efficiency, reduces the intra-operative renal pelvic pressure, improves the related postoperative parameters, reduces the incidence of complications, and holds promise for clinical application.