Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children

Abstract

The possibilities for treating children with renal stone disease by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) have not been widely explored. We report ten children, aged between 5 and 16 years, treated by PCNL, and six children, aged between 6 and 15 years, treated by ESWL alone. A 16-year-old spina bifida child with a staghorn calculus was treated electively by a combination of the two methods. Hospital stay was 3 to 8 days for treatment by PCNL or ESWL, and was only 11 days for the combination treatment. Complete stone clearance was achieved in 12 children followed for 3 months. No significant complications occurred. ESWL and PCNL are suitable methods for the management of renal calculi in children.