Abstract:Abstract. The future relevance of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) to the treatment of urinary stones has been questioned by some. This paper reviews recent developments with an aim to predict the level of usefulness of SWL for the future. The incidence of urolithiasis is increasing throughout the world, and existing metaphylaxis is not widely effective. This results in an increasing need for active stone removal. SWL was and is a well established treatment modality for urolithiasis in the upper urinary tract. For… Show more
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