Combined ultrasound and pneumatic lithotripsy for treatment of upper urinary tract stones during percutaneous nephrolithotomy

【Objective】To evaluate the curative effects on renal or upper uretal stones by means of combined ultrasound and pneumatic lithotripsy during percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL).【Methods】 Percutaneous nephrostomy under ultrasonography was performed.Stones were broken into small pieces by combined ultrasound and pneumatic lithotripter(Swiss Lithoclast Master) and evacuated with suction at the mean time.【Results】In the 116 cases,stones were cleared off at one section in 96 cases,stones were cleared off at two section in 6 cases,12 cases with residual stones were cured by soft nephroscopes or ESWL,and 2 cases with residual stones were not further treated.The average time of surgery was 96 minutes and the stone clearance rate was 82.8%.No severe complication occurred during the operations.【Conclusions】Swiss Lithoclast Master appears to be a highly effective and minimally invasive device with high stone clearance rate.PCNL is believed to be an important method for the treatment of renal or upper uretal complicated stones.