Urologic experience with the Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Devices
• Nephrology

Background:

• Kidney stones (renal calculi) are a common condition requiring effective treatment.
• Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a primary modality for stone management.
• The Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000 is a specific device used for ESWL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000 for treating renal and ureteral stones.
• To assess stone-free rates and complication profiles associated with MPL 9000 treatments.
• To analyze the utilization of anesthesia and analgesia during ESWL procedures.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 603 stones in 502 patients treated with the Dornier MPL 9000 from March 1988 to October 1989.
• Data collection included stone location, characteristics (e.g., radiolucency), treatment details, anesthesia use, and follow-up outcomes.
• Stone-free status and residual fragment locations were assessed at 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• A 73.1% stone-free rate was achieved after 3 months.
• Most stones treated were in the calix (66%) and renal pelvis (29.6%).
• A significant portion of treatments (58.6%) were performed without analgesia or anesthesia; no major complications were reported. Difficulties were noted in localizing ureteral stones.

Conclusions:

• The Dornier MPL 9000 demonstrates effectiveness in treating renal stones.
• The device is well-tolerated, with a high percentage of treatments performed without anesthesia.
• While effective for renal stones, challenges in ureteral stone localization were identified.