[Prevention of urinary calculi in spite of painless lithotripsy?]

Localization, stone-size as well as type of lithotriptors influence the extent of disintegration of stones and the individual rate free of stones after treatment with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. The piezoelectric lithotriptors do not require anaesthesia, but perform insufficient stone disintegration requiring no repeated treatments. Another draw-back is stone localization by ultrasound, which prevents treatment of some ureteral stones. Used voltage and rate of shock waves per treatment affect the extent of damage no the renal parenchyma. Risk of hypertension, residual disintegrated stones, which don't clear the renal pelvis, the higher recurrency rate and injury to the urothelium of the renal pelvis demand a concomitant meta- and prophylaxis of urolithiasis.