Management of vesical calculi: comparison of lithotripsy devices

Although endoscopic lithotripsy of bladder stones has been well described and is widely practiced, comparison of the main modalities of mechanical, electrohydraulic, and ultrasonic lithotripsy is lacking. The exact role of these and other modalities such as the Swiss Lithoclast and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy is not clearly defined. The safety and efficacy of the various lithotripsy modalities available to treat bladder calculi were reviewed retrospectively over an 18-year period. A total of 106 patients were treated with some form of intracorporeal lithotripsy. In general, all devices proved to be effective with a low rate of complications. The addition of transurethral resection of the prostate to bladder stone management under the same anesthetic was also found to be a safe procedure for moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia. In summary, transurethral endoscopic lithotripsy is a safe and effective method of bladder stone management both alone and in combination with transurethral prostatectomy. All modalities of intracorporeal lithotripsy are effective; however, devices such as ultrasound lithotripters or the Swiss Lithoclast that utilize larger, rigid probes may be more efficient for patients with large or particularly hard vesical calculi.