THE EFFECT OF HIGH-DOSE RIGHT UPPER QUADRANT LITHOTRIPSY ON NORMAL SWINE TISSUE

To assess the effects of high doses of shock waves to organs in the ri ght upper quadrant of the abdomen, 36 adolescent swine were given one treatment of either 2,000 (2k), 6,000 (6k), or 10,000 (10k) shock wave s at 24 kV peak pressure using a spark-gap lithotriptor. Shock waves w ere sonographically focused opt the lumen of the gallbladder. Blood an d tissue were examined for each group at 48 hours, at 35 days, and at 6 months. This study showed that administration of up to five times th e accepted tapper limit of shock waves produced no permanent damage. T ransient injury most commonly hematoma, was encountered. No posttreatm ent intra-abdominal catastrophes occurred. Although no renal injury wa s seen, it should be noted that the focus of maximum energy was 5 cm c ephalad to the right kidney. This study suggests that an increased num ber of shock waves may be administered safely to this area of the abdo men.