Limitations of Spinal Anesthesia for Patient and Surgeon During Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy

To evaluate the intraoperative pain score of patients who undergo percutaneous nephrolithotomy under spinal anesthesia and to evaluate surgeon's and patient's convenience with this type of anesthesia.
PCNL cases who were performed by two endourology fellows under spinal anesthesia during June to July 2014 were included. Spinal anesthesia was performed using injection of 0.25mg/kg bupivacaine 0.5% in the intrathecal space. All procedures were performed with the patient in the prone position. Stone access was made by using ?uoroscopic guidance, and the tract was dilated using a single-stage technique. Visual analogue pain score was used to assess patient's pain during operation, immediately after, and 2 hours later.
50 patients were enrolled during the study period. Visual analogue pain score of 10 and 8 were observed in 5 and three patients respectively. In two patients the operation was terminated because of patient anxiety and pain. In another patient a second access was not obtained to remove a staghorn stone because of patient's agitation. Gross agitation was observed in six patients. Apart from flank pain, intraoperative pain was felt in the flank, scapula, abdomen and/or chest.
Spinal anesthesia does not provide enough analgesia for the patient in a limited frequency of percutaneous nephrolithotomy operations. We could not find statistically significant predictors of insufficient analgesia based on patient's demographics, stone characteristics or access location.