Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: a study of renal stone differences

The extracorporeal shock wave lithotriptor (ESWL or lithotriptor) is a new, revolutionary, noninvasive method of treating renal calculi. It offers a safer, cheaper and more effective method of treatment compared to the traditional open surgery. Its history dates back only to 1980--and to 1985 at HCA Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, where research is just beginning. Initial research focused on ESWL versus traditional open surgery, but more recent research is investigating elements within the ESWL treatment. This article presents an investigation of renal stone size in relation to number of ESWL treatments needed per stone, number of shock waves per treatment, length of hospital stay post-lithotripsy, and hospital costs per length of stay during HCA Wesley's first year of operation. The subjects in this study consisted of approximately every third patient who received an ESWL treatment and were grouped according to stone sizes of less than 2 cm and those greater than 2 cm. A questionnaire was used, and after data were collected from the patient's charts and billing, a t-test for independent samples was used for analysis.