Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) of biliary stones

Abstract

In this study 13 patients with symptomatic gallbladder stones who had surgical contraindication or refused surgery and 9 patients with common bile duct stone in whom at least one endoscopic sphincterotomy and stone extraction trial with basket or balloon catheter were performed but failed were taken into ESWL program. 10 mg/kg/day ursodeoxycholic acid was started 7 days before ESWL treatment. In 8 weeks, 5 of 13 (39%) patients with gallbladder stone had appropri¬ate fragmentation (