A Novel Technique for the Retrieval of a “Vanished” Nephrostomy Tube

Excerpt

Retrieval of a broken nephrostomy tube can pose technical difficulties, especially if the broken end of the tubing has recoiled or “vanished” back into the soft tissues and is no longer visible outside of the skin. Traditional techniques for retrieval have involved snaring the cut end percutaneously through a sheath using either forceps, hooking device, or a wire basket. Urologists have successfully employed a retrograde approach using cystoscopy and forceps, most commonly used for internal stent retrieval, to retrieve broken nephrostomy tubes [1]. In more complicated cases laparoscopy may even be necessary [2]. We present a case of a “vanished” percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) tube that we were able to retrieve with a novel approach. …