title: Piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in 93 patients with gallstones.
abstract: Ninety-three patients with gallstones were selected for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) with a piezoelectric device (EDAP LT-OI) to verify the efficacy and safety of this technique. Neuroleptoanalgesia with intravenous diazepam and phentanyl was performed in almost all patients. The treatment was combined with adjuvant litholytic therapy using oral ursodeoxycholic acid. Follow-up period was nine months. Piezoelectric ESWL was able to disintegrate radiolucent gallstones in 97.9% of cases. By the ninth month 68 patients (73.1%) were stone-free. Best results were obtained with single stones smaller than 20 mm. After ESWL, surgical cholecystectomy was necessary in 2.1% of cases. This study confirms the efficacy and safety of piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy combined with ursodeoxycholic acid adjuvant therapy for selected cases of gallstone disease.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Clinica, Università di Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patussi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ballerini
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Surrenti
mesh_terms: D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009458:Neuroleptanalgesia; D013997:Time Factors; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D003975:Diazepam; D005283:Fentanyl