International Alliance of Urolithiasis (IAU) guideline on percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

INTRODUCTION The International Alliance of Urolithiasis (IAU) would like to release the latest guideline on percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and provide a clinical framework for surgeons peforming PCNLs. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION These recommendations were collected and appraised from a systematic review and assessment of the literature covering all aspects of PCNLs from the PubMed database between 01/01/1976 to 31/07/2021. Each generated recommendation was graded using a modified GRADE methodology. The quality of the evidence was graded using a classification system modified from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS 47 recommendations were summarized and graded, which covered the following issues, indications and contraindications, stone complexity evaluation, preoperative imagings, antibiotic strategy, management of antithrombotic therapy, anesthesia, position, puncture, tracts, dilation, lithotripsy, intraoperative evaluation of residual stones, exit strategy, postoperative imagings and stone-free status evaluation, complications. CONCLUSIONS The present guideline on PCNL was the first in the IAU series of urolithiasis management guidelines. The recommendations, tips and tricks across the PCNL procedures would provide adequate guidance for urologists peforming PCNLs, therefore to ensure safety and efficiency in PCNLs.