[Long-term experiences following extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in patients with urinary calculi]

A report is given on the experience we have had over a period of up to 7 years following ESWL treatment in urinary stone patients. 131I-hippuran clearance studies were conducted on 19 patients prior to and 6.6 years subsequent to ESWL. There was no evidence of any degree of deterioration in total renal function or of any form of dysfunction in the kidney treated. Follow-up examinations on 247 patients showed a 7% recurrent stone rate within a period of 3.6 years following ESWL. In 16% of the cases, residual concretions were found 6 months after ESWL, only 4% of which were larger than 5 mm in diameter. In 22%, concretions were discovered 3.6 years after ESWL 36% of which were larger than 5 mm. This size increase in the fragments accounts for the stone growth.