Supine versus Prone Position during Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy for Treating Distal Ureteral Calculi: A...

We aimed at evaluating the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) for treating distal ureteral calculi performed in supine vs. prone position.

Eligible studies were identified by 2 reviewers using PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Outcomes included stone-free rate after the first and the final SWL session, the mean number of shocks per SWL session, the mean percentage of power used in the first SWL session, and the mean number of SWL sessions per patient.

Pooled data among the 647 included patients showed that supine SWL was associated with a significantly higher stone-free rate than prone SWL. This difference was consistent for both the first SWL session (OR 4.17; 95% CI 2.53-6.87; p < 0.00001) and the final session (OR 3.02; 95% CI 1.96-4.67; p < 0.00001). No differences in the mean number of shocks per SWL session, the mean percentage of power used in the first SWL session, and the mean number of SWL sessions per patient were observed between the positions. SWL complications were infrequent and the incidence was insufficient for further analysis.

SWL is safe and effective for the management of distal ureteral calculi, and supine SWL is more effective than prone SWL for achieving a stone-free status.