Treatment time reduction using tandem shockwaves for lithotripsy: an in vivo study.
OBJECTIVE
Reducing extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) time by increasing the shockwave rate of the lithotripter has been tested in the past; however, basic research and treatment outcomes revealed that this is not convenient. The purpose of this study was to use an animal model to demonstrate that SWL treatment time can be reduced significantly without sacrificing stone fragmentation efficiency using tandem shockwaves.


METHODS
A tandem research lithotripter was used to treat 50 artificial kidney stones implanted into the kidneys of 50 rabbits. Standard single-pulse and tandem shockwaves were compared in two different scenarios: Without a fluid-filled expansion chamber and with a fluid-filled expansion chamber surrounding the stone.


RESULTS
The presence of fluid surrounding the stone enhances fragmentation in both the standard and tandem modes. No significant difference in fragmentation efficiency was recorded between the standard and tandem SWL with stones surrounded by fluid; however, the treatment time with tandem shockwaves was reduced by 50%.


CONCLUSIONS
Significantly shorter SWL treatments may be possible in the future using tandem shockwaves on urinary stones that are surrounded by fluid.
Fernández
Francisco
F
Departamento de Nanotecnología, Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México.
Fernández
Gilberto
G
Loske
Achim M
AM
D000818:Animals; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000628:therapy; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors