Percutaneous nephrostomy with the Stamey catheter: A new introducing technique

In patients with obstructive nephropathy, an 8F pigtail catheter is sometimes placed in a percutaneous nephrostomy tract for temporary drainage. Ureteral stents, inserted antegrade or retrograde, usually are preferred for permanent drainage (see other articles in this symposium), but in some patients, the area of obstruction cannot be by-passed. In these patients, permanent diversion through a nephrostomy tract can be obtained either with a U-loop (circle tube; article by Reddy and Smith in this symposium) or with a 14F Malecot (Stamey catheter, described herein.