Comparison of ARISCAT Score and Post-operative Pulmonary Complication Rate in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

Postoperative pulmonary complications are relatively common in all age groups and are closely related to increased costs, morbidity and mortality in the postoperative period. In recent years, various risk indices have been developed for preoperative evaluation to predict postoperative pulmonary complications, such as the American Society of Anaesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (ASA), the Assessment of Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia (ARISCAT). The ARISCAT score has demonstrated promising results in identifying patients at higher risk for pulmonary complications. The ARISCAT risk index is derived from multiple variables, including age, oxygen saturation, previous respiratory tract infections, anaemia, abdominal or thoracic surgery, operative time, and emergency surgery. The ARISCAT risk index is used to predict respiratory failure, bronchospasm, respiratory tract infections, atelectasis, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and aspiration pneumonia.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) is a type of operation performed endoscopically in a prone position in cases of kidney stones that cannot be broken by extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) and/or cannot be removed by ureterocystoscopy. The prone position is one of the positions that limits lung capacity and respiratory function. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the ARISCAT score in patients undergoing PNL and the occurrence of pulmonary complications in the postoperative period.