Percutaneous endourology: vascular complications

Summary Bleeding may occur at any point during percutaneous nephrostomy tube placement or stone removal. Venous bleeding is readily manageable and is not a serious complication. Arterial bleeding secondary to AV fistula formation and pseudoaneurysm formation is a serious complication of percutaneous stone removal and demands emergency treatment. Patients should undergo areteriography with embolization of the peripheral vessel. The incidence of this problem is about 0.5%.