Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in patients with a solitary kidney.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was used to treat 68 patients with renal calculi in a solitary kidney. Epidemiological information, including stone number, size and location, was similar to that of other patients treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Renal function as measured by serum creatinine changed negligibly in the majority of the patients. Three patients had transient serum creatinine elevations greater than 2 mg. per dl. that were caused by obstruction from stone fragments. There were 2 perirenal hematomas that required transfusion. One patient required retrograde manipulation of a ureteral stone before extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, while 6 required stone manipulations after therapy for steinstrasses. Of 59 patients evaluable after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy 58 (98.3 per cent) had a successful result: 38 (64.4 per cent) were completely free of stones and 20 (33.9 per cent) had clinically insignificant residual fragments. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is effective and safe in a solitary renal unit. We believe that in most patients it is the procedure of choice. Attention to fever, urine output and fragment size perioperatively is crucial.