Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for urinary tract stones using piezoelectric lithotripter (Piezolith)]

A total of 133 stones in renoureteral and bladder units from 122 patients, 8 to 80 years old, were treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) with the Wolf Piezolith device from November 1989 through December 1990. The 133 stones involved renal stones (91), ureter stones (34) and bladder stones (9). The number of shock waves per session was up to 4,000 shots, the mean number of shots was 3,120. Neither anesthesia nor analgesic agents were used except for epidural anesthesia on 10 and intramuscular analgesics on 8 patients. Fragmentation into particles 4 mm in size or less occurred in 89 of the 91 renal stones (97.8%), 24 of the 34 ureteral stones (70.6%) and 8 of the 8 bladder stones (100%). The mean numbers of treatment on each stone were 3.2, 1.8 and 1.8, respectively. Ultrasound localization restricted treatment of ureteral stones to the most proximal and distal fourth of the ureter.