[Contact electroimpulse lithotripsy]

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic contact electroimpulse lithotripsy (EILT) were studied in 146 patients with urolithiasis (mean age 48+/-16 years). Of them, 10 (7%) had ureteropelvic (UP) concrements, 124 (85%) had ureteroliths and 12 (8%) had bladder stones. The impulses were generated by the electroimpulse lithotripter Urolit-105M (Lithotech Medical, Israel; MedLine, Russia). EILT produced a complete destruction of UP concrements, ureteroliths and bladder stones in 96% cases. Complications occurred in 8.2% cases. The risk of intraoperative EILT complications was higher in destruction of stones more than 8 mm in the largest parameter of size, long-standing ureteral concrements complicated by ureteritis. EILT of UP concrements must be conducted by means of single impulses (impulse energy 0.45 J), of ureteroliths--by single or paired impulses (impulse energy 0.45-0.6 J), of bladder stones--by paired or serial impulses (impulse energy 0.6-0.7 J).