Abstract

Some reports have shown a decreased effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL) with newer lithotriptors. We compared the treatment results of ESWL with a second generation Northgate SD-3 and a third generation Modulith SLX device. A total of 2,000 patients underwent ESWL treatments for single urinary calculus between September, 1988 and July, 1998. The 1,241 patients were treated with Northgate SD-3 between September, 1988 and December, 1995. The 759 patients were treated with Modulith SLX between January, 1996 and July 1998. The treatment results were compared using the chi-square test to determine statistical significance. The overall success rate, success rate according to the location and size, the mean number of sessions, complication rate and retreatment rate were obtained, according to lithotriptor. The overall success rate was 90.6% with Northgate SD-3 and 89.1% with Modulith SLX. With Northgate SD-3 and modulith SLX. the success rate according to the location was 91.0%(579/636), 88.1%(236/268) in the kidney, 93.2%(517/555), 89.9%(258/287) in upper ureter; 83.3%(10/12) and 94.4%(167/177) in middle and lower ureter; 47.4%(18/38) and 55.6%(15/27) in staghorn stone, respectively, The success rate According to the size of stone with Northgate SD-3 and Modulith SLX for stone with the size under 10mm was 96.1% (612/637) and 93.1%(470/505); from 11mm to 20mm was 87.3%(421/482) and 86.4%(165/191); from 21mm to 30mm, 77.5%(62/80) and 67.5%(23/34); and for stone larger then 31mm was 69%(29/42) and 62.1%(18/29), respectively, Mean number of sessions for successful fragmentation was 1.21 and 1.69, respectively, with Northgate SD-3 and Modulith SLX. Retreatment rate was 16.7% and 17.5%, respectively. The complications after treatment were severe pain(6.2% with Northgate SD-3 vs. 2.0% with Modulith SLX), steinstrasse(3.4% vs. 1.9%), fever(1.2% vs. 0.5%) and perirenal hematoma(0.2% vs. 0%) in order of frequency. There was no significant difference in the effectiveness between of Northgate SD-3 and Modulith SLX. However, a statistically significant difference was observed between the two lithotriptors. We concluded that ESWL with Modulith SLX is more safe compared to Northgate SD-3.

• Keywords: Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy;Urinary calculi;