Nephrostomy Tubes

Background

Percutaneous nephrostomy tubes (PCNs) are placed through the skin directly into a portion of the kidney, hence the name (percutaneous = pertaining to through the skin; nephrostomy = making an opening in the kidney). This procedure has four broad indications: relief of urinary obstruction, diagnostic testing, access for therapeutic interventions, and urinary diversion. In the hospital setting, the most common scenario related to PCN that a general medicine service experiences is a patient presenting with obstructive uropathy with or without kidney injury.