Lithotripsy

Lithotripsy is a non-invasive procedure (operation or treatment) used to break up unwanted hard objects in the body such as kidney stones, stomach stones (called bezoars) or gallstones (which are stones in the gall bladder.) Non-invasive means the doctor does not have to cut the person's body open to do the procedure. That does not mean that the treatment is not dangerous. It is somewhat dangerous. A lot of energy is required to break up stones. The treatment usually makes the person hurt (feel sore or bruised) for at least several days. Sometimes it causes bleeding inside the body.

The word lithotripsy is made up from two Greek words meaning "breaking stones". Lithotripsy can also be done on animals other than people.

There are several different types of lithotripsy. Some or all them cannot be done for some people, depending on their state of health. Some of the conditions in which shock wave lithotripsy must not be used include: pregnancy, severe untreated hypertension (high blood pressure), bleeding disorders (the person doesn't stop bleeding if cut) or use of blood thinners, untreated urinary tract infections and aortic aneurysms (which are bulges in, or ballooning of, the main artery from the heart).

Types

• Extracorporeal (meaning outside the body) shock wave therapy
  • Electrohydraulic lithotripsy: This form of shock wave lithotripsy is unique in that the shockwaves are produced by a vaporization bubble expanding and collapsing repeatedly, creating a pressure wave.
• Intracorporeal (endoscopic lithotripsy, which is done inside the body, usually by pushing a thin tube called a ureteroscope up the urethra)
  • Laser lithotripsy : effective for larger stones (> 2 cm)
  • Mechanical lithotripsy (usually some type of basket or grasping device on the end of the tube)
  • Ultrasonic lithotripsy: safer for small stones (<10 mm)