[1 year's experience with the multifunctional lithotriptor Dornier MPL 9000]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Nephrology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Kidney stones (renal calculi) are a common condition requiring effective treatment.
• Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a primary modality for stone management.
• The Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000 is a specific ESWL device evaluated for efficacy and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000 for treating renal and ureteral stones.
• To assess stone-free rates, fragmentation success, and complication incidence.
• To identify specific advantages, such as use without anesthesia and suitability for pediatric cases.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 361 patients with 438 stones treated between March 1988 and May 1989.
• Utilized the Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000.
• Recorded stone location, characteristics (including radiolucent stones), treatment details (anesthesia use, multiple sessions), fragmentation success, and follow-up stone-free status.

Main Results:

• High complete disintegration rate (95.7%) was achieved.
• 74.3% of patients were stone-free after 3 months.
• Most treatments (63.5%) were performed without analgesia or anesthesia; effective for renal stones but challenges noted for ureteral stones; no major complications.

Conclusions:

• The Dornier multipurpose lithotripter MPL 9000 is an effective treatment for renal stones, with a high success rate and minimal need for anesthesia.
• The device demonstrated particular advantages for treating children due to its focused shock wave delivery and ultrasound localization.
• While effective for renal calculi, localization difficulties were observed for ureteral stones.