title: Efficiency and efficacy of different intracorporeal ultrasonic lithotripsy units on a synthetic stone model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The efficiency and efficacy of the available intracorporeal ultrasonic lithotripters were compared in a stone model experiment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plaster of Paris (POP) stone phantoms having ratios of 1:1, 1.5:1, and 2:1 with water were fabricated into cubes of various hardnesses weighing an average of 24.6 g. The stones were immersed in water in a plastic container, and continuous irrigation through a rigid nephroscope was used. Ultrasonic lithotripters from ACMI, Olympus, Storz, and Wolf manufacturers were evaluated for efficacy in breaking up the three POP concentrations. Time to complete stone fragmentation, occurrence of probe or tubing occlusion, and probe overheating were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Efficiency of fragmentation and time to fragmentation of the Storz lithotripter were significantly different from those of the Wolf (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively) and ACMI (p = 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively) lithotripters. Comparison of the efficiency of fragmentation and time to fragmentation of the ACMI and Wolf lithotripters showed significant differences (p = 0.005 and p = 0.03, respectively) in favor of the Wolf device. The Olympus lithotriptor resulted in incomplete fragmentation of phantoms of all POP concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Storz ultrasonic lithotriptor was found to have the lowest fragmentation time and highest efficiency in the fragmentation of phantom stones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York 11042, USA.
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Liatsikos
authors.forename: C Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Dinlenc
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fogarty
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: N O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Bernardo
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002133:Calcium Sulfate / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002133:Calcium Sulfate