Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy of bile-duct stones. Initial Swedish experience

Fifteen patients with mean age 74 (range 34-94) years were treated with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for bile-duct stones (intrahepatic in 4 cases) following failure of surgical or endoscopic treatment. A Dornier HM3 lithotriptor was used, and in all cases the ESWL session was preceded by establishment of external biliary drainage (endoscopic nasobiliary in 9, percutaneous transhepatic in 2 and a surgical T-tube in 4 cases) for radiologic positioning of stone. Endoscopic (14 cases) or surgical (1 case) sphincterotomy was done to facilitate spontaneous passage or endoscopic removal of fragments after ESWL. General anesthesia was not needed during the average 50 (range 25-65) min required for performance of ESWL. The number of delivered discharges was 750 to 2,100 and the generator voltage varied from 14 to 17 kV. Disintegration of stone was good in 12 cases and partial in two. Ten patients remain stone-free, five after spontaneous passage, and five after endoscopic extraction of fragments. There were few complications. ESWL may be useful in high-risk patients with failed endoscopic treatment of bile-duct stones and for management of intrahepatic stones.