Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy in patients with distal ureteral calculi does not influence the prostate specific antigen value.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Distal ureteral calculi can be treated with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in situ, which has a high rate of success. As the prostate is in vicinity of this part of the ureter, it is possible that the shockwaves may pass through the prostate also. We evaluated the effect of SWL on the serum concentration of prostate specific antigen (PSA).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A total of 44 men with distal ureteral calculi located a maximum of 20 mm from the ureteral orifice and without any history of recent urinary tract infection, benign prostatic hyperplasia, or prostate cancer underwent SWL with the Dornier HM-4 lithotripter. Their serum PSA values were measured 5 minutes before SWL as well as 3 hours and 1, 7, and 30 days afterward. The differences of these PSA values were estimated. From a control group of 10 healthy donors, two consecutive PSA values were obtained 30 days apart.

RESULTS

Of these patients, 93% (41/44) were stone free within 1 month according to plain radiographs and ultrasonography. No statistically significant difference was observed between the PSA concentration before and after treatment or between the patients who underwent SWL and the control group.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of distal ureteral calculi with SWL does not affect the serum PSA concentration.