title: Single stones of the lower pole of the kidney. Comparative results of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCN) as a treatment for stones of the lower pole of the kidney and to compare their morbidity according to the stone size.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied 739 patients treated for a single stone of the lower pole. Group I consisted of 666 patients treated by ESWL and group II consisted of 73 patients treated by PCN.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These were assessed at 3 months for 587 ESWL patients (88%) and at day 1 for all PCN patients on renal tomography or ultrasonography. Respectively in groups I and II, 335 patients (57%) and 53 patients (72.6%) were stone-free (p = 0.01). For medium-size (10-20 mm) stone patients, stone-free represented 102 patients (44%) and 29 patients (72.5%) in groups I and II respectively (p = 0.001). For smaller stones (< 10 mm), stone-free represented 231 patients (69%) and 21 patients (84%) in groups I and II respectively (p = 0.12). Morbidity rate was less with ESWL than with PCN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCN achieves better results than ESWL for single stone of the lower pole with statistical significance for middle-size stones but with higher morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Urologique, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Havel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saussine
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fath
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faure
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacqmin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009403:Nephrostomy, Percutaneous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography