Outpatient treatment of stones of the pelvic ureter by extracorporeal lithotripsy, based on a series of 200 consecutively treated patients

Objective : To demonstrate the feasibility of first-line outpatient treatme nt of symptomatic stones of the pelvic ureter (sometimes immediately follow ing an episode of renal colic), without anaesthesia, by extracorporeal shoc k-wave lithotripsy using a latest generation apparatus (EDAP LT02) with con comitant dual guidance. Patients and Methods : The mean age of the patients was 45 years. The mean stone diameter was 7 mm (range : 3 to 25 mml. Lithotripsy was performed und er dual ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance. All patients were reviewed at 3 months with Sol low-up and x-rays. Results : Fragmentation was considered to be complete in 79% of cases, part ial in 10.5% of cases and absent in 10.5% of cases. Overall, 87% of stones were completely eliminated at 3 months. The only complication was fever of 38.5 degrees C requiring urinary tract drainage and subsequently ureterosco py):. Complementary treatment was necessary in 26 cases : ureteroscopy (n = 20), alkalinization (n = 1), Dornier ESWL (n = 5). Conclusion: ESWL by EDAP LT02 allows first-line outpatient treatment of sto nes of the pelvic ureter with a satisfactory success rate.