[Fragmentation of single biliary calculi with an electromagnetic generator]. / Fragmentación de cálculos biliares únicos con un generador electromagnético.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is a non surgical alternative for the treatment of cholelitiasis. At present, there are three main types of shock waves generators, one of them an electromagnetic device is (lithostar plus). The aim of this work is inform results obtained using Lithostar plus machine for the treatment of patients with a single gallstone. From total of 722 patients, 98 filled criteria for lithotripsy treatment; 63 patients had a single gallstone, with a mean age of 48.83 +/- 13.89 22 were males and 41 females. Patients were divided in 5 groups in base of the number of extracorporeal shock waves used, all of them had similar a gallstones of similar size. 32 patients (50.8%) showed total fragmentation with only one session. According with the results obtained, we can conclude that using lithostar plus we can get total fragmentation in one session in 50.8% of patients with a single gallstone.

[Electromagnetic shock wave lithotripsy plus bile acids for the treatment of gallblader stones: results and perspectives from the first 57 patients]. / Litotricia electromagnética y acidos biliares para tratamiento de los cálculos de la vesícula biliar: resultados y perspectivas de los primeros 57 pacientes.

Fifty seven patients were selected from 620 cases with gallstones to be treated with an electromagnetic shock wave generator (Lithostar Plus). The machine has an overhead module with an electromagnetic generator able to produce 150-150 bar of pressure in the center of the focal zone (2 x 8 cms.) An in line ultrasound probe permits in vivo view of stone localization and fragmentations. The wide aperture of the device permits to treat patients with little pain in ambulatory basis. The mean age of the patients was 50 +/- 14 years, 57 were female and 20 were male. Stones were single in 35 cases and were multiple (2-4 gallstones) in the rest. The patients received a mean of 2620 +/- 371 shock waves. Intravenous analgesia (Fentanyl 87 +/- 40 ug p/session) was required in 26 cases. In 58.5% of the cases, fragmentation produced gallstone-rests of < 0.5 cm. Larger fragments (> 0.5 cm), were observed after an initial shock wave session in 33%. These patients underwent additional treatments sessions. Hence patients received 1.8 +/- 0.8 sessions. Minor fragmentation or no fragmentation after the first session was observed in the 14.5%. Mild biliary pain appeared in 17 patients and acute biliary colic in 2, one of these underwent emergency cholecystectomy. Overall gallstone disappearance after one year after lithotripsy, plus bile acid therapy (10-12 mg Kg day) was 72%. Patients with single gallstones were free of stones of fragments in 92% of the cases, after the same period of follow up.