Electrohydraulic nephrolithotripsy: a preferable alternative to ultrasound.

Three hundred patients have undergone percutaneous nephrolithotomy in our unit; 66 required disintegration of their renal calculi, 24 by electrohydraulic lithotresis (EHL) and 42 by ultrasonic lithotresis (USL). EHL has been associated with a lower residual stone rate, a reduced number of repeat endoscopic sessions and no additional complications. EHL has been shown to be efficient, safe and preferable to USL. The occurrence of residual stone fragments following disintegration suggests that mechanical extraction should be used whenever possible and that disintegration, whether by electrohydraulic or ultrasonic lithotresis, should be reserved for stones which are either impacted or too large for mechanical extraction.