Illustration copyright 2005 by Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy or nephrolithotripsy uses a small incision in the person's back to remove kidney stones. The surgeon puts a hollow tube into the kidney and a probe through the tube. In nephrolithotomy, the surgeon removes the stone through the tube. In nephrolithotripsy, he or she breaks the stone up and then removes the fragments of the stone through the tube.