Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) Treatment

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is the used of focused sound waves to break Kidney/ Upper Ureteric stone into smaller pieces so that they can pass out more easily. It is suitable for stones < 2 cm in size. The success rate depends on the site of the stone and its hardness.
In extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, shockwaves that are created outside the body travel through the skin and body tissues until they hit the denser kidney stones. After the stones have been hit, they will break down into sand-like particles that are easily passed through the urinary tract in the urine.
The procedure is very safe and does not damage the kidney or surrounding organs. ESWL is mostly done as an outpatient procedure and takes about 1 hour.