Lithotripsy

Lithotripsy (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy ESWL®) is a noninvasive procedure which safely and effectively “shatters” your kidney stone without surgery, using an energy source outside your body. Shock waves are aimed directly at your stone, making it crumble into sand like particles, which then pass easily through your urinary tract.

• You lie on a water-filled cushion, and the Urologist uses X-rays to precisely locate the stone. High-energy sound waves pass through your body and break the stone into small fragments. These fragments move through the urinary tract and out of the body more easily than a large stone.
• The procedure takes about an hour.
• You will receive anesthesia during your procedure.
• Your Urologist may use a stent. A stent is a thin flexible tube that dilates the ureter. This helps the stone fragments to pass without blocking the ureter.

Laser Lithotripsy is a minimally invasive procedure which safely and effectively “shatters” your stone without surgery. A thin flexible tube-like viewing device, known as an ureteroscope, is passed through the urethra into the bladder and into the ureter. This allows the Urologist to actually see the stone in the ureter. A laser fiber is inserted into the ureter. This fiber delivers the laser energy directly to the stone to shatter it.

• The procedure takes about an hour.
• You will receive anesthesia during your procedure.
• Your Urologist may use a stent. A stent is a thin flexible tube that dilates the ureter. This helps the stone fragments to pass without blocking the ureter.