| Abstract: | Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) by EDAP LT-01 was used to treat 77 patients with upper urinary tract stones. A total of 218 sessions were performed for 111 stones in 52 kidney units and 41 stones in 37 upper ureter units, and 77% of the 52 kidney stone units and 62% of the 37 ureter units were completely disintegrated. The success of fragmentation of kidney stones differed with the size of the stone, 96% of the stones less than 21 mm and 63% of the 8 stones between 21 and 30 mm were successfully fragmented. The success of fragmentation of ureteral stones differed auxiliary manipulation. Eighty-one percent of the 21 ureteral stones moved into the kidney, were successfully disintegrated, but 40% of the 20 stones unmoved could be disintegrated with retrograde manipulation. Of the 62 successful units, 89% became stone free within 3 months. Complications were subcapsular renal hematoma in 3 patients and obstruction in 5 patients. The initial 25 patients were treated under epidural anesthesia and 52 patients were treated without anesthesia. The results show that the indication of ESWL with LT-01 is better for the stones smaller than 30 mm and the indication should be determined after a couple of sessions for stones greater than 30 mm. ESWL with LT-01 can be performed on an out-patient basis without anesthesia in many cases. |
