[Retrograde percutaneous nephrostomy: a case report].

We performed retrograde percutaneous nephrostomy on a 79-year-old woman admitted to our hospital with recurrent right acute pyelonephritis. Computed tomographic scan showed mild hydronephrosis and some renal stones in the right kidney. Antegrade percutaneous nephrostomy was thought to be impossible because the patient could not be placed in a prone position. Urgent drainage by ureteral catheter placement in the right renal pelvis was performed in the lithotomy position. After pyelonephritis improved, retrograde percutaneous nephrostomy was performed, which provided precise percutaneous access to the desired renal calyx without complications. Renal stones in the right kidney were later removed by percutaneous nephrolithotomy. If a sufficient preoperative evaluation is performed, we consider retrograde percutaneous nephrostomy is a safe and useful method for percutaneous access to the kidney.