ESWL and oral dissolution therapy. What factors influence results?

With the aim of identifying the criteria that have a decisive influence on the success of treatment of gallstones with ESWL and oral dissolution therapy, we investigated, in 117 patients, the stone-free rate as a function of sex, age, weight quotient, number of stones, total stone volume, and gallbladder function. The following inclusion criteria were applied: (1) the Munich criteria, (2) a follow-up period of at least 12 months, or (3) freedom from stones irrespective of the duration of the period of follow-up. Although, owing to the small number of cases involved, no significantly differing results were seen in the parameters investigated, clear tendencies were indeed observed. While age, sex, and weight quotient appear to have no influence on the stone-free rate, the number of stones, total stone volume, and gallbladder function do appear to have an effect on the results of treatment. Patients with solitary stones not more than 20 mm in diameter, and patients with a small total stone volume and good gallbladder function would appear to have the best chance of becoming stone-free within a short period of time, irrespective of age, sex, or girth.