Urinary tract stone disease is one of the most common pathology in urology practice. Surgical procedures are important treatment modality for stone disease. By the development of technology and increasing experience in surgery, today, most of the stone surgeries are performed as endoscopic procedures. Despite all these advantages, stone may remain in the urinary system. After operation, stone remnants may decrease the life quality of patients by impairing the normal physiology of the urinary system and by causing symptoms. For this reason, patients with residual stones should be informed about their illness and, the conservative methods should be explained. As in all patients with urinary stone disease, metabolic evaluation should be performed and, if a preventable reason is found, medical treatment should be initiated. Besides conservative methods and medical treatment, more treatment modalities are needed in the management of residual stones in some patients. Shock wave lithotripsy and secondary surgical procedure are the most appropriate treatment approaches in such cases. Open surgery, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, retrograde intrarenal surgery or ureterorenoscopy may be performed taking into consideration factors as stone location, size and composition as well as urinary system anatomy and existence of comorbidity.
Keywords: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, residual stones, SWL