[Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in children. Complications and long-term results]

ESWL of urinary stones is a well-established treatment in adult patients. The treatment of urinary stones in children has gained increasing importance in recent years. From 1987 to 1993, a series of 27 children with urolithiasis in all parts of the urinary tract were treated by ESWL. Treatment was performed with general anaesthesia or analgosedation. During the treatment no complications occurred. On average, 34 sessions of ESWL, with 2165 shockwaves and 22.3 kV energy, were performed. Minor early complications, such as fever, pain and hydronephrosis, were observed in 7 patients. The overall stone clearance rate was 92%. Stone recurrence occurred in only 1 patient. There were no late complications, such as malfunction of the kidney, skeletal deformation or hypertension after 38 months of follow up. In conclusion, ESWL is the treatment of first choice in paediatric urolithiasis.