The retrospective study of perioperative application of dexamethasone and furosemide for postoperative anti-inflammation in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Objectives To investigate whether the perioperatively combined application of dexamethasone and furosemide could alleviate the inflammation in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Patients and methods 147 patients undergoing PCNL between November 2018 and October 2019 were enrolled in the study. 77 patients accepted a single dose of dexamethasone and furosemide administration (EXP group, n = 77), and 70 patients did not (CON group, n = 70). Demographic and perioperative data, inflammatory markers including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and procalcitonin (PCT), and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results Compared with the CON group, the incidence rate of urosepsis of the EXP group were significantly lower (11.69% vs. 24.29%, p = 0.046). 3 patients developed severe urosepsis in the EXP group, while 5 patients developed severe urosepsis in the CON group. Compared with those in the CON group, the patients with postoperative urosepsis in the EXP group showed lower serum levels of IL-6 at postoperative hour two ( p = 0.045) and at postoperative day one ( p = 0.031) and lower serum levels of PCT at postoperative day one ( p = 0.015). There was a better clinical outcome of a shorter postoperative hospital stay ( p = 0.015) in patients with postoperative urosepsis in the EXP group than in those in the CON group. Conclusion The perioperatively combined application of dexamethasone and furosemide was beneficial for alleviating postoperative inflammatory reaction and caused a better clinical outcome of a shorter postoperative hospital stay.