We conducted a radionuclide renal function study using 131I-hippuran in 188 patients with upper urinary stones before and every 3 months to the maximum of 12 months after various surgical treatments. Of 28 patients with renal staghorn stone, 24 underwent anatrophic nephrolithotomy and 4 percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Of 36 patients with renal pelvic stone, 15 received open pyelolithotomy, 16 received PCNL and 5 received extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Of 71 patients with renal calyceal stone, 48 underwent PCNL and 23 ESWL. Of 53 patients with ureteral stone, 41 received ureterolithotomy, 8 PCNL and 4 ureteroscopic extraction. The renal function study determined individual and total renal function in terms of effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) at unilateral and bilateral kidneys. The mean total ERPF decreased 3-6 months after anatrophic nephrolithotomy (377.4 +/- 121.8 vs. 308.8 +/- 105.4 ml/min) or PCNL (447.4 +/- 152.3 vs. 386.8 +/- 140.8 ml/min) for staghorn stone. The mean ERPF of the kidney on the operative side decreased significantly to an extent of 29.4% up to 6 months after anatrophic nephrolithotomy. The mean ERPF on operative side increased significantly to an extent of 18.3% up to 6 months after ureterolithotomy. In conclusion, among the upper urinary stones, the unilateral (operative side) and total bilateral renal function decreased 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively, after anatrophic nephrolithotomy. On the contrary, the renal function increased significantly on the operative side up to 6 months after open ureterolithotomy. There was no significant change of mean ERPF at the kidney on operative or non-operative side in other kinds of upper urinary stones and surgical treatment.