Vertebral fracture associated with shockwave lithotripsy in a patient with granulomatous spondylitis.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is an accepted treatment modality in the treatment of urinary stone disease. Many complications have been reported secondary to high-energy shockwaves, but the effects of SWL on the skeletal system have rarely been investigated. We represent the first case of a burst-type vertebral fracture after SWL in an elderly osteoporotic patient with granulomatous spondylitis.