Stone-Free-Rate After Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy in the Management of Pediatric Renal Stones in Lower Pole and Other Locations - A Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVE To determine a difference in the stone-free-rate among different renal locations in children after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). STUDY DESIGN A descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Urology Department, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, from January 2007 to June 2015. METHODOLOGY The study included children who underwent ESWL, divided into three groups based on location of stones in kidney as group A (lower pole stones), group B (upper and mid pole stones) and group C (renal pelvis stone), respectively. ESWL was done by standard technique using Storz Modulith SLX lithotripter 3rd generation. Data was collected by chart review. SPSS version 16 was used for data analysis. RESULTS Among 76 children with mean age of 7.55 ±4.16 years, 55 (72.4%) were males whereas 21 (27.6%) were females. Mean stone size was 1.08 ±0.59 cm. There were 34, 17 and 25 cases in groups A, B and C, respectively. Post- ESWL stone-free-rate was 47% in lower pole stones, 70.58% in upper and mid pole stones, and 68% in renal pelvis stones. Hematuria was seen in one patient from each group, sepsis in two patients from each of the mid pole/upper pole and lower pole group, while Steinstrasse in one patient from each group. CONCLUSION ESWL is a safe and effective way of treating renal stones in all poles in pediatric population.