Resistive index changes after ESWL, the impact of age

ABSTRACT

In eighty-six patients, the resistive index using colored duplex sonography was measured for the arcuate and interlobar arteries before and after ESWL in the upper, middle and lower segment of the treated and the contralateral kidney. A statistically significant increase in post- therapeutic resistive index was found, but it remained within the physiologic range in the treated kidney and there was a statistically insignificant increase in the contralateral kidney. This increase is more pronounced in the young aged patients as well as in the elderly patients than the middle aged patients. All these changes returned to pre-ESWL level within two weeks and were maintained at the same level for eight weeks. It was concluded that shock wave lithotripsy caused reversible increase in the intrarenal vascular resistance. The extremes of age are more liable to such changes than middle aged patients. The second ESWL session must be postponed two weeks after the first one