Comparison of efficacy and safety of shockwave lithotripsy for upper urinary tract stones of different locations in children: a study of 311 cases.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of Shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) for upper urinary tract stones of various locations in children.

METHODS: Between 1997 and 2008, a total of 311 children (average age: 7.9 ± 4.4 years, ranged from 6 months to 16 years) with upper urinary tract stones were treated by SWL using Dornier Compact S lithotripter at our department. Of those patients, 196 had renal stones (pelvic, 53; upper and mid calices, 75; lower calices, 68) with an average size of 9.42 ± 7.1 mm, and 115 had ureteral stones (proximal, 53; mid, 16; distal, 46) with an average size of 7.38 ± 5.87 mm.

RESULTS: Overall stone-free rates of renal stones and ureteral stones at 3 months were 95.8% and 94.8% with 83.5% and 79.5% of efficacy quotient (EQ), respectively. In renal stone groups, the EQ for renal pelvic stones was 89.2%, for middle and upper calyx stones was 92.5%, which was higher than 71.9% for lower calices stones. In ureteral stone groups, the 82.3% of EQ for proximal ureteral stones and 83.0% for distal ureteral stones were higher than 63.6% for middle ureteral stones. Patients with larger stones had significant higher re-treatment rate (P < 0.05) and lower EQ than small stone groups. No serious side effect happened in the study.

CONCLUSIONS: SWL for both renal stones and ureteral stones in pediatric group have comparable efficacy and safety, except that stones in lower calices and middle ureters have lower EQ than those in other locations.