Ultrasonically guided percutaneous nephrostomy.

Ultrasonically guided percutaneous nephrostomy was planned in 98 patients with a total of 128 nephrostomies. The success rate was over 90%. The catheters were maintained from a 1/2 day to 150 days with a median duration of 13 days. 26% of the patients had the catheter replaced, mainly because of displacement. Two major complications were seen, one perforation of the gallbladder and one case of major haemorrhage resulting in a nephrectomy. Two of the 26 patients infected at the puncture died from sepsis. Among cases with low ureteral obstruction untreated prostatic carcinoma and ureteral tumors were the two only categories in which a palliative nephrostomy was beneficial.