The procedures — the world’s first using Focalist — were performed by urologist Dr. Karen Stern of Mayo Clinic Arizona. Stern used Focalist to achieve precise kidney access during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), the gold standard treatment for large kidney stones. She presented the milestone cases at the World Conference on Endourology and Uro-Technology (WCET).

PCNL starts with the placement of a needle into the kidney under imaging guidance, creating a pathway for stone removal. This step requires precision to avoid the surrounding organs and enable effective stone clearance. Using focalist, Stern and her team achieved rapid, efficient and precise first-pass needle placement into the ideal kidney location.

“I was thrilled to be the first in the world to use the Focalist System,” Stern said. “I found it intuitive to learn and easy to integrate into my workflow. Focalist enhances needle control and simplifies precise placement under ultrasound, particularly for operators with less experience. It has the potential to build confidence in ultrasound-guided access and lower the barrier to proficiency across providers with varying levels of experience.”