title: Metallic double pigtail ureteral stent usage during extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in the swine model: is there any effect on the ureter?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the safety and compatibility of full-length metal ureteral stent usage with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four Resonance ureteral stents and four special Resonance ureteral stents modified to contain thermocouples were placed unilaterally in eight pigs, with contralateral ureter of each pig serving as its own control. All pigs were subjected to the same SWL protocol in both their ureters. In the animals containing the modified stents, ureter temperature was monitored during treatment. The animals were sacrificed on days 1 and 15 after treatment, and both their ureters were histologically examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant increase (mean increase of 0.5 degrees C, p > 0.05) of stent temperature was observed during treatment. No differences in histology were observed among ureters containing stents and control ureters at both days 1 and 15 after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SWL appears to be harmless for the ipsilateral ureter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Patras Medical School, Patras, Greece. liatsikos@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Evangelos N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Liatsikos
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kallidonis
authors.forename: Iason
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kyriazis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karnabatidis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsamandas
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakellaropoulos
authors.forename: Nicolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Flaris
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rigopoulos
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toronidis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Efthimiou
authors.forename: Kriton
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Filos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siablis
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perimenis