Management of the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy patient

Over 2 million Americans experience kidney and urinary stone disease each year. Early treatments resulted in high mortality and morbidity rates. With the advent of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy less than 20 years ago, treatment for this disease has become far safer with more rapid recovery and fewer complications. The selection of patients eligible for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is dependent on the location and size of the stones and the overall health of the patient. This article discusses the different treatment modalities used for stone disease and the different methods currently available for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Preprocedure preparation of the patient and postoperative care for this population is reviewed in detail.