[Clinical application of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy using Siemens Lithostar for upper urinary tract...

We performed extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) monotherapy on 51 patients with upper urinary tract stones using a Siemens Lithostar (C-tube) from April 1992 to April 1993. On the x-ray film obtained three months after the final ESWL treatments, 24 patients (47%) were free from stone concrements and 22 (43%) had stone fragments less than 4 mm. The over-all success rate was therefore 90.2%. No severe side effects were observed. We also examined the relationship between the degree of fragmentation seen on the immediate post-ESWL x-ray and stone status at 3 months. There was no significant correlation between them and the post-ESWL x-ray did not reflect the stone status at three months. In our experience, ESWL monotherapy using a Siemens Lithostar (C-tube) was a safe and effective treatment for upper urinary tract stones.