Effect of vibration massage therapy after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in patients with lower caliceal stones

Purpose: To determine whether vibration massage influences the results of e xtracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in patients with lower caliceal s tones. Patients and Methods: One hundred three patients with lower caliceal stones were entered in the study. Patients were divided into two groups that rece ived either SWL alone (Group A, N = 52) or with vibration massage (Group B, N = 51), There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in stone size, duration of follow-up, or patient age. The complicat ion, stone-free, and stone recurrence rates of the groups were compared. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the grou ps in the number of shockwaves, number of SWL sessions, or shockwave energy . The renal colic rate was higher in Group B than in Group A (P = 0,03), Th e stone-free rates in Group A and Group B were 60% and 80%, respectively (P = 0,003), The stone recurrence rate was higher in Group A than in Group B (P = 0,0006), Conclusions: This retrospective study demonstrates that SWL with vibration massage appears to have a beneficial effect on the passage of fragments in patients with lower caliceal stones.