ANAHEIM, CA (UroToday.com) - The group from Edmonton, AB, Canada, looked at the impact of decreasing shock wave frequency from 120 to 60 shocks per minute, on the stone-free rate and the need for auxilliary procedures, for upper ureteral stones treated with shock wave lithotripsy. In this study, patients with an untreated upper ureteral stone of at least 5 mm diameter were randomized to receive shock wave lithotripsy at either 60 (n=74 patients) or 120 (n=83 patients) shocks per minute. Three month follow-up radiographic imaging showed that 67.6% versus 50.6% of the patients were stone-free after treatment at a shock wave frequency of 60 versus 120 shocks per minute, respectively (p=0.031). Of note, the mean number of shocks administered was less (2667 versus 2938; p<0.001), the mean treatment time was greater (44 minutes versus 24.5 minutes; p<0.001), and patients required less auxiliary procedures (31.1% versus 47.0 %; p=0.042), when treated at 60 versus 120 shocks per minute. Treatment at the lower shock wave frequency of 60 per minute was not associated with an increase in adverse events.

The authors report the results of the first randomized study to evaluate the effects of a reduction in the rate of shock wave administration on treatment of stones in the upper ureter with shock wave lithotripsy.

Abstract 1312

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