[Extracorporeal lithotripsy for urinary calculi: a non invasive technique? Report of 150 patients treated with the Nova lithotriptor].

The NOVA apparatus is an electrohydraulic lithotriptor not yet available in France. The authors present an evaluation of the first 150 patients treated with this machine. 92.2% of the 185 stones treated were fragmented. 141 patients were reviewed at 1 month and, if necessary, 3 months after the first session; 4/24 patients and 1/3 patients were not reviewed after their second and third treatment session, respectively. Evaluation of the 177 sessions performed (16% of second sessions and 2% of third sessions), 69.11% of patients did not have any residual stones. The success rate was 52% for renal stones; 96% for stones of the lumbar ureter and 50% for pelvic stones. The morbidity was low (10% of renal colic, 5% of obstructive stone) but in combination with second treatment sessions, it generated a risk of being rehospitalised after the first session of 26%. When the procedures performed under anaesthesia before and after ECL (apart from repeated sessions) are added, the risk of this supplementary anaesthetic for a given patient is 18.66%. Lastly, the risk of undergoing another anaesthetic after the 1st ECL was 33%. These data indicate the limits of the "noninvasive" nature of a modern and effective lithotriptor.