Balloon dilation of intrahepatic biliary strictures for percutaneous extraction of residual intrahepatic stones

Intrahepatic ductal strictures in cholangiohepatitis present an obstacle to successful removal of retained ductal stones via T-tube tracts. We studied the effectiveness of stricture dilatation for stone removal. Fifteen patients with intrahepatic gallstones retained behind strictures underwent balloon dilatation of their strictures to allow stone extraction. All had prior surgical T-tube placement allowing percutaneous access. Balloon dilatation was successful in reducing or eliminating strictures in 86.7% (13 of 15 patients), and complete stone extraction after the successful dilatation was possible in 76.9% (10 of 13 patients). The reasons for failure were impacted stones and acute ductal angulation which prevented passage of catheters. It is concluded that balloon dilatation of intrahepatic biliary strictures is an effective adjunct for extraction of intrahepatic biliary calculi associated with recurrent pyogenic cholangiohepatitis.     

Common bile duct and intrahepatic stones: results of transhepatic electrohydraulic lithotripsy in 50 patients

Percutaneous, transhepatic, intracorporeal, electrohydraulic shock wave lithotripsy was performed in 50 patients after failure of endoscopic treatment (n = 43) or directly in patients with a strictured hepaticojejunostomy (n = 7). Twenty-seven patients had common bile duct stones; 23, intrahepatic stones. Three steps were used: A transhepatic bilicutaneous fistula was created, a wide communication between the bile duct and the gut was established, and contact shock wave lithotripsy was performed under endoscopic guidance. Afterward, 46 patients were free of stones. In four patients with diffuse intrahepatic lithiasis, only 75% of stones could be cleared. Severe complications, seen in 11 patients (hemobilia necessitating transfusion [n = 6], bile duct perforation resulting in cholangitis [n = 3], acute pulmonary edema [n = 1], and hemothorax [n = 1]), were fatal in four patients; all occurred early in the study. The authors modified their technique by dilating the biliary tract in two sessions 3 days apart, waiting 6 days for the tract to mature, and then introducing the cholangioscope directly through the skin, significantly reducing complications and mortality (P less than .005).     

套石篮联合低压灌注输尿管镜碎石术在治疗输尿管上段结石中的应用

目的探讨套石篮联合低压灌注输尿管镜下钬激光碎石术对输尿管上段结石的临床疗效。方法将520例上段输尿管结石患者,随机分为观察组(246例)和对照组(274例),两组均采用输尿管镜钬激光碎石。观察组采用套石篮联合人工手控低压灌注,对照组采用灌注泵进行灌注。结果观察组和对照组碎石成功率分别为95.9%和77.7%,术中结石逃逸落回肾盂或肾盏内比率分别为4.1%和22.3%。两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论输尿管镜下套石篮联合手控低压灌注治疗输尿管上段结石的方法显著降低了结石逃逸进入肾盏内的比例,提高了碎石成功率。     

Computed tomography density of gallbladder stones may aid in predicting the rate of stone fragmentation with extracorporeal lithotripsy

Thirty-six patients with gallbladder stone(s), 21 with solitary stone and 15 with multiple stones up to five in number, were treated by a single session of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. In eight patients (group A), stones were gradually fragmented from the surface, producing fine powderlike fragments which made residual stones invisible, leading to reduced therapeutic efficacy. In 13 patients (group B), residual stones remained visible up to 2,400 shocks, though they showed similar fragments. Such fragments did not appear throughout treatment in 14 patients (group C). Computed tomography (CT) attenuation number, when the region of interest was settled on the whole stone, increased in the order of group A, B, and C. When the distribution of CT density on stones was analyzed, the density was diffusely lower than 50 HU in all patients in group A, higher than 50 HU only on the surface in all patients except for two in group B, and diffusely higher than 50 HU in all patients except for one in group C. CT findings may be useful for predicting the fragmentation mode of gallbladder stones by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.     

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy: prevalence of renal stones 3-21 months after treatment

One hundred and four (70%) of the first 148 patients who underwent extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) at the University of Florida were evaluated for persistent or recurrent renal stone disease. Radiographs obtained 3-21 months after treatment showed that 53 (50%) of 106 treated kidneys were free of stones. In 48 of the 53 kidneys that contained stones, the stones were residual fragments dating from the period immediately after ESWL. New stones had developed in only five kidneys. The 50% incidence of stone-free kidneys 3-21 months after ESWL is less than the 65-90% rate reported by other institutions in the United States and Europe. After stone removal by ESWL, new stone formation occurs at a rate of 5%, which is much lower than the expected recurrence rate of 37-50%.     

In vitro CT evaluation of intrahepatic stones: correlation with chemical composition

OBJECTIVE: To describe in vitro CT features of intrahepatic stones and to correlate CT attenuation with chemical composition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the patients who underwent choledochoscopic intrahepatic stone removal between 1998 and 2001, 54 patients with stones larger than 3 mm were enrolled in this study. In each case, a chemical compositional analysis was performed to determine calcium, cholesterol, total bilirubin, and inorganic phosphorus compositions. The three largest stones obtained from each patient were imaged by CT. CT attenuation numbers were measured in the center images of each stone by drawing free-hand region of interest (ROI). The measured CT attenuation numbers were correlated with their chemical composition. Also, CT attenuation numbers of stones were compared with that of the liver on non-contrast CT (50-70 HU). RESULTS: Stone size ranged from 3.1 to 10.5 mm (mean +/- S.D.: 6.0 +/- 1.4). The CT attenuation numbers (HU) of stones ranged from 36.4 to 410.19 (mean +/- S.D.: 94.6 +/- 49.9). CT numbers of stones were below 70 HU in 11 patients (20.4%), and below 90 HU in 33 patients (59.3%). The chemical analysis data of the stones were as follows: calcium (0.5-6.5 wt.%; mean +/- S.D., 2.6 +/- 1.4), total bilirubin (0.45-24.4 wt.%; 13.1 +/- 6.2), cholesterol (5.4-73.9 wt.%; 29.3 +/- 17.4), phosphorus (0.1-1.2 wt.%; 0.6 +/- 0.3), and non-soluble residue (17.6-85.4 wt.%; 57.0 +/- 22.6). There was a weak but significant correlation between calcium composition and CT attenuation (r = 0.38, P < 0.01) and no significant correlation between other chemical compositions and the CT attenuation (cholesterol, r = 0.01, P > 0.01; total bilirubin, r = 0.05, P > 0.01; phosphorus, r = 0.01, P > 0.01). CONCLUSION: On non-contrast CT, intrahepatic stones would not be hyperattenuating with respect to liver parenchyma in about one fifth of patients. The CT attenuation of stones correlates with calcium and does not correlate with any other chemical composition.     

Gallstone lithotripsy: results when number of stones is excluded as a criterion for treatment

The Siemens Lithostar Plus protocol (Siemens Medical Systems, Iselin, NJ) allows investigators to perform gallstone lithotripsy on patients regardless of the number of stones they have, provided the stones occupy less than 50% of the gallbladder lumen. The purpose of this study was to determine the interrelationships between stone burden, fragmentation response, and stone-free rates when treatment is not limited to three stones or fewer. Of 200 patients initially examined, 80 (40%) underwent lithotripsy. The mean number of treatments per patient was 2.1, and the mean number of shock waves per patient was 7386. In 60 patients in whom 6-month follow-up was available, the overall stone-free rate, based on actual results, was 32% (19/60). The stone-free rates for solitary stones, two or three stones, and four or more stones were 50%, 12%, and 26%, respectively. Regardless of number of stones, patients who ultimately became stone free had significantly smaller mean fragment size (0.25 cm) 2 weeks after lithotripsy than did those who did not become stone free (0.51 cm). Retrospective volume analysis showed that seven (47%) of 15 patients with multiple stones occupying less than 2000 mm3 were stone free; none became stone free when this volume was exceeded. Lithotripsy remains a practical option for patients with solitary stones. Comparable stone-free rates to those achieved for solitary stones can be obtained in patients with multiple stones, regardless of their number, provided treatment is aggressive and the stone aggregate is less than 2000 mm3.     

Optimizing gallbladder stone lithotripsy: an international survey.

Rates of stone clearance with extracorporeal shock wave cholecystolithotripsy (biliary lithotripsy [BL]) initially reported by European groups were encouraging. An American multicenter BL study (the Dornier National Biliary Lithotripsy Study [DNBLS]) did not reproduce these results. The BL treatment strategies and 6-month stone clearance rates of six leading European and Japanese centers were compared with those of DNBLS. All foreign centers used adjuvant oral chemolitholysis and greater shock wave energies from the same lithotriptor as that in DNBLS. Six months after BL, the stone clearance rates at all six centers were higher than those of DNBLS. There were no significant differences in complication rates between centers. These findings suggest that the poor results of DNBLS were chiefly due to the use of low kilovoltage and few BL sessions. Increased energy levels and a fragment size end point of less than 5 mm optimize BL. Despite the popularity of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, BL can be recognized as a successful treatment alternative for patients with a low burden of radiolucent stones.     

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: impact on the radiology department of a stone treatment center

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was performed on 925 patients (1,222 treatments) for 446 calyceal, 345 pelvic, 172 ureteral, and 108 staghorn calculi. ESWL necessitated 6.3 KUB and 1.2 renal ultrasound studies per treatment session. Intravenous urography was required in 6% of patients after ESWL. Percutaneous nephrostomy tube placement was performed by the radiologists in 10% of patients. Procedures related to nephrostomy tube placement included percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, tube changes, nephrostography, and stone fragment irrigations and retrievals. Staghorn calculi treatment with ESWL required the most procedures by radiologists (34% for partial staghorn and 56% for complete staghorn) compared with 3%, 8%, and 11% for calyceal, pelvic, and ureteral stones, respectively. In all, 8,478 radiologic examinations and procedures were performed pertaining to ESWL. This is approximately 35 studies per day. While this number may be high because it represents the early experience of the authors with ESWL, the impact on the radiology department can be substantial.     

小儿膀胱结石两种治疗方法的比较

 目的 比较超声引导下经皮膀胱微通道应用第5代EMS气压弹道联合超声吸附碎石清石技术,与经尿道输尿管下至压弹道碎石术治疗小儿膀胱结石的差别。方法 对比分析了2012-03至2015-12,笔者在超声引导下经皮膀胱微通道应用EMS第5代气压弹道联合超声吸附碎石清石技术,治疗小儿膀胱结石27例(治疗组)与经尿道输尿管镜下气压弹道碎石术治疗小儿膀胱结石25例(对照组)的临床资料。结果 治疗组碎石及取石时间为(15±3)min,平均手术时间为(20±10)min,术后出院时间为(6±1)d,无尿道损伤和结石残留。对照组碎石及取石时间为(40±6)min,平均手术时间为(45±15)min,术后出院时间为(9±2)d。尿道损伤为4例,结石残留为6例,再次手术3例。两组间比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 超声引导下经皮膀胱微通道应用EMS第5代气压弹道联合超声吸附碎石清石技术,适用于小儿膀胱结石患者,具有微创、安全、净石率高、操作简单、手术时间短、无结石残留、术后恢复快等优点,特别是避免了经尿道反复取石损伤尿道和术后尿道狭窄并发症的风险,值得推广应用。
     

Predictions of outcomes of renal stones after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy from stone characteristics determined by unenhanced helical computed tomography: a multivariate analysis

The aim of our study is to analyze the relationships between the characteristics of renal stones determined by unenhanced helical computed tomography (UHCT) and their outcomes after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as well as to predict ESWL outcomes of renal stones by their UHCT characteristics with the use of multivariate analysis. During a 7-month period, 80 adult patients with renal stones underwent ESWL as well as UHCT both before and 3 months after ESWL. Of the 80 patients, 42 patients were classified as ESWL successes and 38 as ESWL failures based on their post-ESWL UHCT findings. For pre-ESWL UHCT, a stone number of more than 2 (P=0.0236), a maximal stone size of greater than 12 mm (P<0.0001), a stone burden of more than 700 mm³ (P<0.0001), a maximal stone density of more than 900 HU (P=0.0008) and nonround/oval stones (P=0.0007) were associated with ESWL failure outcomes. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a stone burden of more than 700 mm³ (P=0.0003), the presence of nonround/oval stones (P=0.0072) and a maximal stone density of more than 900 HU (P=0.0430) were statistically significant predictors of a failure outcome for ESWL. Thus, the analysis of stone characteristics of renal stones by UHCT is helpful in selecting appropriate patients undergoing ESWL for favorable outcomes and reduces the overall costs of the treatment of renal stones.     

Choledocholithiasis: treatment with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

In a patient with choledocholithiasis, a duodenal diverticulum precluded endoscopic retrograde bile duct cannulation. A transhepatic catheter was used to opacify the bile ducts and to guide the endoscopic sphincterotome into the major duodenal papilla. Because limited sphincterotomy did not allow extraction or spontaneous passage of the common duct stones, extracorporeal lithotripsy was performed. Following fragmentation, the stones passed spontaneously and without complications.     

经皮肾镜和输尿管镜联合弹道超声碎石及清石术治疗复杂性肾结石

目的：探讨经皮肾镜和输尿管镜联合弹道超声碎石、清石系统治疗复杂性肾结石的效果及安全性。方法：采用20．8F新型肾镜和8／9．8F输尿管硬镜，联合应用EMS第三代气压弹道超声碎石、清石系统治疗复杂性肾结石120例、134个肾结石；男72例，女48例，年龄9～68岁，平均41．3岁；其中双肾复杂性肾结石7例，左侧51例，右侧62例。结石直径2．0～7．0cm，平均3．5cm。结果：112例患者一期取石成功，8例二期取石成功；单通道取石114例，双通道取石6例；一次取石105例，2次取石15例；结石清除率91．6％。平均手术时间110min，肾造瘘管留置时间平均6d，平均住院日12d。有6例需要输血，其中2例穿刺扩张通道成功后并发大出血，留置F14导尿管夹闭后行二期取石，1例取石术后反复出血，经超选择性肾动脉介入栓塞治愈。其余未出现其它并发症。结论：经皮肾镜和输尿管镜联合弹道超声碎石、清石术治疗复杂性肾结石，具有创伤小、出血少、碎石后清石效率高、恢复快、住院时间短、并发症少等优点，值得推广应用。     

Renal stone disease treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: short-term observations in 100 patients

The immediate posttreatment findings are described for 100 patients who underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for renal stone disease. Excretory urography was performed both before and 24-72 hours after ESWL. In 21 patients, stones were completely disintegrated, and stone fragments were passed rapidly. Stones were fragmented but not passed entirely within 24-72 hours in 76 patients. There was no appreciable effect on stones in three patients. In nine of 27 patients who had mild to severe ureteral obstruction caused by stone fragments, relief procedures (retrograde ureteral manipulation or percutaneous stone extraction) were necessary. Overall, 70 patients experienced successful stone disintegration without complications. Continued investigation is needed to determine prevalence of residual calculi, reversibility of acute effects of ESWL on the kidney, and possible development of late hypertension.     

输尿管镜下钬激光治疗结石梗阻性急性肾功能衰竭

目的:探讨输尿管镜下钬激光治疗上尿路结石梗阻并发急性肾功能衰竭的有效性和安全性。方法:回顾性分析我院2008-01~2009-06应用输尿管镜直视下钬激光治疗上尿路结石梗阻并发急性肾功能衰竭23例患者的临床资料。结果:手术均获成功,术中无一例出现输尿管穿孔、断裂、黏膜撕脱,无中转开放手术,术后随访1~3月,患者血清尿素氮(BUN)、肌酐(Cr)均恢复正常或接近正常,尿量恢复,结石排净率91.3%(21/23)。结论:输尿管镜下钬激光治疗上尿路结石梗阻并发急性肾功能衰竭具有安全、疗效可靠、损伤小、能同时处理双侧输尿管病变的优点,是梗阻性急性肾功能衰竭的有效治疗方法。     

Gallstone fragmentation during biliary lithotripsy: effect of stone composition and structure

In vitro lithotripsy with the Siemens Lithostar was conducted on 36 radiolucent or minimally calcified gallstones housed in an anthropomorphic phantom. The ease and pattern of fragmentation were correlated with global composition for the entire stone, regional or microcomposition (determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), and microstructure (determined by scanning electron microscopy). Stones made up of more than 62% cholesterol required 50% more shock waves to pulverize all fragments to 0.3 cm or less than did stones of less than 62% cholesterol (p less than .01). An inverse relationship was found between the number of shock waves needed for fragmentation and the cholesterol content (r = .77). Although a broad range of fragmentation responses occurred, little variation was seen in the ease of fragmentation within stone families. The majority of stones fractured along radially oriented cholesterol plates, but one third of stones treated showed initial chipping or flaking at the periphery before radial fracture. This type of peripheral erosion most often occurred in stones with peripheral pigment rims. These stones required more shock waves and lagged in pulverization compared with more homogeneous cholesterol stones. The efficiency of fragmentation during biliary lithotripsy correlates with the stones' global cholesterol content. A stone's architecture, as reflected by its regional composition and microstructure, partially predicts the mechanism of fragmentation. These in vitro data may be useful in further refining criteria for selecting patients and understanding the fragmentation process.