ESWL Monotherapy

Abstract

Between February 1988 and December 1995, 1563 consecutive patients who had never previously been treated for ureteral stones were admitted to our hospital: 1535 (98%) underwent primary ESWL (with Lithostar plus) with fractioned doses and 28 (2%) needed primary endosurgery. At present 1327 (87%) patients can be evaluated. Up to 6,000 SW were given to 733 (55%) patients: 93% achieved complete clearance. Of the 594 (45%) patients who completed treatment, 195 (33%) achieved complete clearance with first treatment, 27 (5%) required endosurgery and 372 (62%) were treated again, of whom 279 (75%) were made stone-free. Overall 877 (66%) were stone-free following first treatment; 1156 (87%) following second treatment and 171 (13%) were failures. Lumbar (9% failure) and ≤0.6 cm (6% failure) stones gave higher success rates. Auxiliary pre-ESWL manoeuvres were reduced from 112/352 (32%) prior to 1990 to 75/975 (8%) after 1990, without affecting outcome (failures were 11 and 13.6% respectively). In-situ ESWL is a safe therapy for ureteral stones and in our experience capable of rendering 87% of patients stone-free.