[Diverticular calculi of the kidney calices--extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, percutaneous extraction or open...

The incidence of caliceal diverticula, mostly found on routine excretory urography, is very low. The indications for treatment include chronic or recurrent pyelonephritis, pain, gross hematuria and renal damage. There is controversy as to which treatment is best: extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous techniques, or traditional open surgery. Since 1984, 27 patients with 28 caliceal diverticula calculi have been treated. Ten patients underwent ESWL, 13 patients percutaneous treatment, and 4 patients open surgery. The success rates as far as a stone-free status is concerned were: 1 patient (ESWL), 10 (percutaneous), and 4 (open surgery). There were no complications due to ESWL or open surgical treatment. Direct traumata such as severe bleeding in two and hydrothorax in one patient occurred during the training phase of the percutaneous techniques. Due to the low complication rate, non-invasive ESWL treatment should be tried first. The indications for percutaneous removal of calculi in caliceal diverticula depend on two aspects: it should be possible to puncture the caliceal diverticula via by a short parenchymal route coaxial to the axis of the calix and, if the intercostal approach is used, a pleural lesion must be excluded. If these requirements cannot be fulfilled, open surgical treatment should be performed, especially if the diverticula are located in the upper and anterior part of the kidney.