Is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy safe in patients with calcific arterial disease?

In an experimental model using calcified aortic and iliac vessels ex vivo it has been shown that extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) does not produce radiologically detectable damage to the vessel wall using the treatment regimen required to destroy renal calculi in vivo. The wall of aneurysmal vessels differ in being both calcified and expanded, and whilst anecdotal evidence suggests that lithotripsy of these too may be safe, experimental evidence is not yet available.