[Experience with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy of upper urinary tract stones]

The first 121 cases of upper urinary tract stone treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) at our clinic were analyzed. Three months after ESWL, 78% of the patients became stone free, and 17% of the patients had residual stone fragments which were less than 5 mm in diameter and considered passable. The success rate was therefore about 94.6%. No severe side effects were observed, although temporary elevations in serum creatinine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, aldolase and total bilirubin occurred. These results indicated that ESWL was a safe and effective procedure for upper urinary tract stones.