Outpatient Piezoelectric Lithotripsy

Abstract

One thousand extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) treatments have been performed on 768 patients with no anesthesia or hospital stay using the EDAP LT01 lithotripter. Detection of stones with the ultrasound probe was possible in 97.5% of cases. Calculi were treated in the kidney in 741 cases and in the pelvic ureter in 27 cases. Nearly all treatments were performed without any anesthesia of any sort. Sixty-nine percent of kidneys became stone free by three months. Seven percent of kidneys were left with fragments ≤ 2 mm while 25% contained fragments greater than 2 mm. No fragmentation occurred in 6% of cases. Retreatment was required in 32% of cases. Renal colic occurred in 16% and fever in 2%. No subcapsular or perirenal hematomas were found following lithotripsy. Two percent of cases required ureteroscopy or basketing following treatment while percutaneous stone removal was needed in 8%. Open surgery was performed on two patients.