Research: Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in an Intrathoracic Kidney: A Rare Anatomical Variant With a Successful Outcome

Darlene Silverman February 23, 2026 (Last updated: February 23, 2026)

Cureus

. 2025 Dec 31;17(12):e100484.

doi: 10.7759/cureus.100484. eCollection 2025 Dec. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41625827/

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in an Intrathoracic Kidney: A Rare Anatomical Variant With a Successful Outcome

Sarthak Sharma¹, Neeraj Agarwal¹, Karan Garg¹, Rajesh K Kumawat¹, Dharmendra K Jangid¹

Affiliations Expand

PMID: 41625827
PMCID: PMC12857437
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.100484

Abstract

Thoracic kidney is the rarest form of renal ectopia and is usually detected incidentally. The coexistence of nephrolithiasis within an intrathoracic kidney associated with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia is extremely uncommon. We report a 32-year-old woman with a left intrathoracic kidney containing a large staghorn calculus herniating through a congenital diaphragmatic defect. A percutaneous nephrostomy was placed under ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) guidance, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) was performed through the 9th intercostal space using a pneumatic lithotripter, achieving complete clearance. The patient had an uneventful recovery with no respiratory complications. This rare case demonstrates that with meticulous imaging-based planning and multidisciplinary collaboration, minimally invasive management such as PCNL can be safely and effectively performed in intrathoracic kidneys with complex calculi.

Keywords: congential diaphragmatic hernia; intrathoracic kidney; percutaneous nephrolithotomy; percutaneous nephrolithotomy (pcnl); renal ectopia; staghorn calculus.

About The Author

Darlene Silverman

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Founded in 1995 as CHERUBS, CDH Research International is a global non-profit working to help over 7000 patient families in 80 countries by raising awareness and supporting Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research.

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