Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 02/17/2009
Lithotripsy is the use of high-energy shock waves to fragment and disintegrate kidney stones. The shock wave, created by using a high-voltage spark or an electromagnetic impulse outside of the body, is focused on the stone. The shock wave shatters the stone, allowing the fragments to pass through the urinary system. Since the shock wave is generated outside the body, the procedure is termed extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). The name is derived from the roots of two Greek words, litho, meaning stone, and trip, meaning to break.
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Other Information
Lithotripsy is a medical procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones that form in the kidney, bladder, ureters, or gallbladder. There are several forms of lithotripsy. The most common is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Extracorporeal means outside the body.
From http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007113.htm
Other Information
In 2000, the estimated number of doctor visits and outpatient hospital visits by patients aged 20 or older with UTI or cystitis listed as a diagnosis was of 8.27 million visits (1.41 million men; 6.86 million women) with UTI as the primary diagnosis.
From: NKUDIC
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