Current state and future developments of noninvasive treatment of human urinary stones with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy has now been in clinical use for 8 years and it has replaced other treatment techniques for the majority of surgical calculi in the upper urinary tract. For the first time it provides a completely noninvasive method for the treatment of renal and ureteral stones. The current range of its indications includes approximately 70 per cent of nonselected urinary stone patients. An additional 25 per cent of the patients with more complex stones in the upper urinary tract can receive treatment with the lithotriptor combined with endourological procedures. More recent additions to the range of clinical routine applications with the original lithotriptor have been its use on common bile duct stones combined with endosurgical or radiological manipulations. With a modified kidney lithotriptor gallstones have been treated successfully, which has led to the development of a multipurpose device for biliary and urinary stones.