Shock wave treatment for kidney stone

Nowadays, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a frequent alternative to surgery of kidney stone. With this method, shockwaves are generated which travel through the body until they reach the denser material of the stones, where they shatter them into fine particles, which can easily be flushed out of the body

Shock wave treatment can be used directly on a stone lodged in the ureter. This is achieved by passing a small fiberoptic device, called a ureterscope, through the urethra and bladder and on into the ureter. Here the stone can either be shattered at close quarters by a shock wave or captured and pulled down the ureter and out of the body.

At times when the stone is too large, neither of these methods are selected and the surgical removal option is used. This involves a tiny incision in the back, creating access to the kidney. Then, using a device called a nephroscope, the surgeon locates the stone and grabs the stone with the device. This allows removal of the stone. If the stone is particularly large shock, wave treatment might also be used.