Management of Ureteral Stones with Pneumatic Lithotripsy: Report of 500 Patients

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the results of pneumatic lithotripsy (PL) with ureteroscopy in the treatment of ureteral stones. Patients and Methods: We reviewed, retrospectively, the records of 500 patients (366 male, 134 female) with ureteral calculi treated by PL with the Swiss Lithoclast. Of these patients, 124 (24.8%) were treated primarily and 376 (75.2%) were treated secondarily after unsuccessful extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL). The results were evaluated 3 months after treatment by excretory urography, ultrasonography, or both. Results: The over-all stone-free and fragmentation rates were 94.6% and 96.8%, respectively. These values were 97.1% and 98.5% for stones ≤10 mm and 83.7% and 89.1% for stones >10 mm, respectively. The main complications were stone migration (2.0%), urosepsis (3.0%), and ureteral perforation (1.4%). Conclusions: While SWL is generally excepted as a first-line treatment option in ureteral stones because of its noninvasive nature, in situ lithotripsy, and especially PL, has higher success rates with minimal morbidity. Thus, PL seems to be a good alternative in patients in whom SWL was unsuccessful or not indicated and in patients who need early stone removal.