[Experience from the first year of treatment of renal calculi with extracorporeal piezoelectric shockwave lithotripsy].

The experience of the first year with piezoelectric extracorporeal lithotripsy is described. One hundred and eighty-eight patients commenced treatment of 194 renoureteric stone units (a total of 328 stones). Twelve per cent required analgesics during therapy. The median number of treatments was two (1-6) and median number of shock waves 4,200 (450-24,606). One hundred and twenty-three stone units had concluded treatment and control schedules at the follow up end date. After six months, 59% of the stone units were stone-free, while 17% had residual fragments up to 2 mm, and additional 15% had residual fragments between 2 and 6 mm. Only few and insignificant complications were observed. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy by the Wolf Piezolith 2300 is a well-tolerated, effective, relative painless and not complicated treatment of renal stones, and an important part of modern treatment of staghorn- and ureteric stones.