[Outpatient treatment of pelvic ureteral calculi with extracorporeal lithotripsy. Report of a series of 200 patients consecutively treated].

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the feasibility of first-line outpatient treatment of symptomatic stones of the pelvic ureter (sometimes immediately following an episode of renal colic), without anaesthesia, by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy using a latest generation apparatus (EDAP LT02) with concomitant 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 mm). Lithotripsy was performed under dual ultrasound and fluoroscopic guidance. All patients were reviewed at 3 months with follow-up and x-rays.

RESULTS

Fragmentation was considered to be complete in 79% of cases, partial 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 subsequent ureteroscopy. 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 stones of the pelvic ureter with a satisfactory success rate.