In September 10-13, 2021, the annual congress of the American Urological Association took place in Las Vegas, USA. Globally, this is the most important scientific event in the field of urology, alongside the congress of the European Association of Urology. During this congress, Prof. Dr. med. S. Lahme was invited to participate in a panel discussion on the topic: "Mini-PCNL versus Ureterorenoscopy: more effective or just more invasive?"

The world's first specialized endoscope for Mini-PCNL in adult patients was introduced by Prof. Dr. med. S. Lahme in 2001. Since then, this new minimally invasive percutaneous surgical technique has established itself as a new standard for percutaneous kidney stone treatment and often serves as an alternative to flexible ureterorenoscopy. In the United States of America, Mini-PCNL has only gained more traction in recent years.

In the controversial discussion, Dr. Marcelino Rivera from Indiana University presented the "pro Ureterorenoscopy" lecture, while Prof. Dr. med. S. Lahme presented the "pro Mini-PCNL" lecture. As a result, it is noted that Mini-PCNL has the advantage of a higher stone-free rate compared to retrograde ureterorenoscopy. However, the experience of the surgeon plays a significant role in Mini-PCNL. Only experienced surgeons achieve the same low complication rates with Mini-PCNL as with flexible ureterorenoscopy. From a patient's perspective, it is important to note that the surgeon should be proficient in both Mini-PCNL and flexible ureterorenoscopy, and therefore can always make the best choice of surgical procedure.