Prospective randomized trial of 2 versus 12‐weeks of postoperative antibiotics after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in complex patients with infection‐related kidney stones

Purpose Treatment of struvite kidney stones requires complete surgical stone removal combined with antibiotic therapy to eliminate urinary tract infections and preventive measures to reduce stone recurrence. The optimal duration of antibiotic therapy is unknown. We sought to determine if 2‐ or 12‐weeks of antibiotics post percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) for infection stones resulted in better outcomes for stone recurrence and positive urine cultures. Material and methods This multi‐center, prospective randomized trial evaluated patients with the clinical diagnosis of infection stones. Patients were randomized to 2‐ or 12‐weeks of postoperative oral antibiotics (nitrofurantoin or culture‐specific antibiotic) and included if residual fragments were ≤4 mm on computed tomography imaging after PNL. Imaging and urine analyses were performed at 3‐, 6‐, and 12‐months post‐procedure. Results Thirty‐eight patients were enrolled and randomized to either 2‐weeks ( n = 20) or 12‐weeks ( n = 18) of antibiotic therapy post‐PNL. Eleven patients were excluded due to residual fragments >4 mm, and 3 patients were lost to follow‐up. The primary outcome was the stone‐free rate (SFR) at 6 months post‐PNL. At 3‐, 6‐, and 12‐months follow‐up, SFRs were 72.7% versus 80.0%, 70.0% versus 57.1%, 80.0% versus 57.1% ( p = ns), between 2‐ and 12‐week‐groups, respectively. At 3‐, 6‐, and 12‐months follow‐up, positive urine cultures were 50.0% versus 37.5%, 50.0% versus 83.3%, and 37.5% versus 100% between 2‐ and 12‐week groups, respectively ( p = ns). Conclusions For patients with stone removal following PNL, neither 2‐weeks nor 12‐weeks of postoperative oral antibiotics is superior to prevent stones and recurrent positive urine cultures.