title: Lithoclast(®) Master in Intracorporeal Lithotripsy during Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy : Our Experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was carried out to compare the efficacy of Lithoclast(®) Master with pneumolithotriptor during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in the treatment of renal staghorn calculi.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 60 patients suffering from partial or complete staghorn renal stones were included. Patients were divided randomly in two groups : Groups I and II and underwent PNL for removal of stones. In Group I patients, standard pneumolithotriptor and in Group II, Lithoclast(®) Master was used for stone fragmentation. The patients were evaluated for rate of fragmentation/clearance, presence of residual fragments by KUB radiograph/ultrasound. Result was analyzed by Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of fragmentation using Swiss Lithoclast(®) Master was more effective and quicker in comparison to standard pneumolithotriptor. The average time taken for fragmentation and clearance in Group I using pneumolithotriptor was 65 minutes, whereas it was 58 minutes using Lithoclast® Master, which was statistically significant (p< 0.01). Only 4% patients had significant residual fragments (> 4mm) in Group II and 16 (53%) patients in Group I, which was significant (p < 0.01). The complications in both the modalities were insignificant; one (1.33%) patient had bleeding and three (10%) patients had urine leak in Group I; whereas three(10%) patients had bleeding and five (16.7%) urine leak in Group II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lithoclast(®) Master is an effective intracorporeal lithotripter during percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the treatment of renal staghorn calculi for stone fragmentation/clearance with minimal residual fragments and complications.
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist (Surgery & Urology), Command Hospital (Western Command), Chandimandir-134107 (Haryana).
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist (Surgery & Urology), Command Hospital (Northern Command), C/o 56 APO.
authors.forename: Ksk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrulu
authors.affiliation: Internee Medical Officer, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.affiliation: Internee Medical Officer, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: DDMS, HQ 11 Corps, Jalandhar (Punjab).
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kayastha
authors.affiliation: Senior Advisor (Anaesthesiology), Command Hospital (Northern Command), C/o 56 APO.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sawhney
keywords: Lithoclast; Percutaneous nephrolithotomy; Pneumatic lithotripsy; Staghorn calculus; Ultrasonic lithotripsy