RESUMO
To determine time to clearance of fragmented renal and ureteric stones after extra corporeal lithotripsy. A prospective study of consecutive 186 and 117 fragmented renal and ureteric stones were done and had been followed up at first [W1], Second [W2], Fourth [W4], eighth [8] and twelfth weeks [W12] using KUB and ultrasound to asses clearance. Descriptive, regression and confidence interval statistics was used to analyze the results. The mean [standard deviation] M [SD] of age were 41.5 [11.4] and 39.3 [9.6] years for kidney and ureteric stone patients respectively. They included 236 males and 67 females. For kidney stones, the cumulative% of cleared cases were 30%, 40%, 63%, 78%, and 92% at the end of W1, W2, W4, W8 and W12 respectively. Time to clearance depends on size of the stones, while clearance status [yes/no] depends on location, with lower calix [LC] as unfavorable site. Non-cleared stones were located at LC and had larger size compared to cleared stones... For ureteric stones the median time to clearance was I week. The cumulative% of cleared cases were 67%, 91%, 98%, 98%, and 98% at the end of W1, W2, W4, W8 and W12 respectively. The non- cleared stones [2] were removed by ureteroscopy. Ureteric stricture was the cause of non-clearance in both cases. Time to clearance was dependent on stone size. This results indicate that upper, middle caliceal and renal pelvic stones may need up to 12 weeks for clearance. In contrast 37% of LC stones had residual fragments at 12 weeks and they need more time for follow up. 98% of ureteric stones were cleared at 4[th] week. This may be the due time to assess clearance