title: Treatment of upper urinary tract stones with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) Sonolith vision.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to retrospectively assess the results of treatment of upper urinary tract stones with the Sonolith vision manufactured by EDAP, and purchased in 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 226 Japanese patients who underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) alone as an initial treatment and could be followed up for at least 3 months, selected from 277 candidate patients who underwent this therapy between 2004 and 2006. Treatment effect was evaluated by kidney, ureter, and bladder X-ray or renal ultrasonography at 1 and 3 months after treatment. A stone-free status or status of stone fragmentation to 4 mm or smaller was considered to indicate effective treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months after treatment, the stone-free rate was 69.4% and the efficacy rate was 77.4% for renal stones, while these rates were 91.5 and 93.3%, respectively for ureteral stones. Assessment of treatment effect classified by the location of stones revealed a stone-free rate of 94.6% and an efficacy rate of 94.6% for lower ureteral stones (4.0 mm or smaller, 1 subject; 4.1-10.0 mm, 31 subjects; 10.1-20.0 mm, 5 subjects: number of treatment sessions, 1 or 2 sessions [mean: 1.03 sessions]). Complications of this therapy included renal subcapsular hematoma and pyelonephritis in 1 case each.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESWL with the Sonolith vision manufactured by EDAP produced a treatment effect equivalent to those achieved with other models of ESWL equipment. ESWL seems to be an effective first-line treatment also in patients who have lower ureteral stones 10 mm or larger but do not wish to undergo TUL, if measures such as suitable positioning of the patient during treatment are taken.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan. kogenaka@aichi-med-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kogenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Motoi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tobiume
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narushima
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.forename: Genya
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Remi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katsuda
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zennami
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumitomo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*