ENDOSCOPIC BALLISTIC LITHOTRIPSY IN THE TREATMENT OF BLADDER CALCULI IN PATIENTS WITH NEUROGENIC VOIDING DYSFUNCTION

Bladder stones represent a troublesome complication in patients suffer ing from neurogenic voiding dysfunction, in whom prompt and effective therapy is required, A variety of endoscopic lithotripsy methods are a vailable; however, current devices can be tedious to use, We have trea ted 17 patients affected by bladder calculi and spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis by means of the ballistic lithotripter EMS Swiss Li thoclast(R), The mean diameter of the stones was 2.7 cm, The mean oper ative time was 27 minutes, There were five intraoperative complication s, including crises of autonomic dysreflexia (three patients) and ligh t hematuria (two patients), There was no malfunction of the lithotript er and no long-term complications, All the patients were stone free at 6 months postoperatively, In conclusion, endoscopic lithotripsy with the ballistic lithotripter proved to be a very effective, rapid, and s afe method for treating bladder calculi in patients with neurogenic bl adders.