Low dose tamsulosin for stone expulsion after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: efficacy in Japanese male patients with ureteral stone.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the efficacy of low dose tamsulosin after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in Japanese male patients with ureteral stone.

METHODS

One hundred and two Japanese male patients with ureteral stones who underwent ESWL were randomly divided into three groups. Group A (38 patients) was given tamsulosin (0.2 mg/day); group B (30 patients) was given c horeito, a herbal medicine (7.5 g/day); and group C (34 patients) received no medication. Stone clearance was assessed at 1, 7, 14, and 28 days after ESWL using plain abdominal radiography and abdominal ultrasonography. After 28 days, stone delivery was checked every 2 weeks.

RESULTS

The stone-free rate was 84.21%, 90%, and 88.24% for groups A, B, and C, respectively (P = 0.3425). The mean expulsion time was 15.66 +/- 6.14 days in group A, 27.74 +/- 25.36 days in group B, and 35.47 +/- 53.70 days in group C. The expulsion time of group A was significantly shorter than that of groups B (P = 0.0116) and C (P = 0.0424).

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of tamsulosin to conservative treatment appeared to be effective in shortening the stone expulsion time.