OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors for sepsis following urinary extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study with two control groups. SETTING: A rural, 570-bed, regional referral center. RESULTS: Six cases (four bacteremias and two fungemias) were compared with two sets of 18 controls. Cases had a higher frequency and number of urinary tract infections prior to the procedure and tended to have larger stone size. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing ESWL who are at high risk for infectious complications may be identified by preprocedure evaluation. Such patients may require alternative prophylactic regimens and close postprocedure follow-up.
OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors for sepsis following urinary extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study with two control groups. SETTING: A rural, 570-bed, regional referral center. RESULTS: Six cases (four bacteremias and two fungemias) were compared with two sets of 18 controls. Cases had a higher frequency and number of urinary tract infections prior to the procedure and tended to have larger stone size. CONCLUSIONS:Patients undergoing ESWL who are at high risk for infectious complications may be identified by preprocedure evaluation. Such patients may require alternative prophylactic regimens and close postprocedure follow-up.