COMPLICATIONS OF EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK-WAV E LITHOTRIPSY USING PORTABLE EQUIPMENT - A MULTICENTER STUDY

An increasing number of urological departments are taking advantage of portable lithotripsy units if a system is not available in their clin ic or purchase does not seem feasible; however, infrequent application of ESWL in such a setting should not increase the rate of complicatio ns. From 1993 to 1995, up to 54 urological departments using mobile li thotripsy units collected data concerning all major complications. A t otal of 12 901 treatments were performed which led to 85 major complic ations (0.66 %). Of them 64 were intrarenal or perirenal hematomas. Th ere was no fatal complication. In three patients nephrectomy had to be performed subsequently. The probability of complications can be calcu lated according to these data. Overall, less frequent application of E SWL does not yield higher complication rates than those at ESWL center s where larger numbers of treatments are performed.