Functional Aspects of the Kidney After Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Abstract

This presentation reports the results of investigations with ^I-131Hippuran radioisotope renograms on 37 patients treated for renal calculi with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL^†). The measurement of the effective renal plasma flow demonstrates interesting results concerning the clearance and the transit time of the radioisotope.

Damage to the renal parenchyma, based on a decrease of clearance, can be associated with the application of more than 2,500 shock waves. A prolongation of the isotope-transit time and a transient decrease in renal function were also observed in the untreated kidney after application of more than 2,500 shock waves to the stone-containing kidney.