[Extracorporeal piezogenerated shockwave lithotripsy. Our experience in 500 cases]

Between April 1987 and August 1988, 498 patients suffering renal or ureteral lithiasis, all of them with a 6 months or more follow-up period, have been treated in our Unit. Patients were treated in an ambulatory regime without need for anesthesia or analgesia. Up to 27% of the cases has surgical background for lithiasis. One hundred and twenty-six patients had a double J ureteral catheter placed prior to lithotripsy treatment. Fourty-four percent cases needed only one session, 25% two, 12% three and 18% more than three sessions. At the time of discharge 86% patients had no lithiasis or fragments less than 3 mm. Only 9% had fragments larger that 3 mm. It is our opinion than piezoelectric extracorporeal lithotripsy has been proven as a safe, effective and painless procedure in most renal lithiasis.