Extracorporeal lithotripsy of kidney and ureteral calculi after open operations

: Experience is recorded with the application of stroke-wave extracorporeal lithotripsy of calculi which have remained after open-technique operations for coral-shaped calculosis. Fifteen patients, 11 women and 4 men at mean age 43 years have been treated for the period 1.01.1989 through 7.02.1990. They all had nephrostoma placed by operation. Extracorporeal lithotripsy (ECL) was performed mean 14 days after the operation. The mean length of stay in hospital was 23 days. All patients were calculi-free 3 months after ECL. It is recommended to place nephrostoma when the kidney has not been fully freed from calculi during operation, to allow further performance of ECL. This helps to achieve quicker and complete removal of calculi from the urinary tract, which in turn contributes to successful of the urinary infection.