Outcome Assessment of Double-J Stents During Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy of Small Solitary Renal Calculi

Abstract

The utility of indwelling double-J ureteral stents during extracorporeal Shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) of renal calculi is ill defined. We evaluated 179 patients treated with SWL for small (v 67% stented group; P = 0.45) or in the retreatment rates (13.3% nonstented group v 14.8% stented group; P = 0.60). The incidence and severity of pain/renal colic were similar for the two treatment groups. There was minimal morbidity associated with SWL in either group. Placement of double-J stents for the purpose of improving stone-free rates, alleviating pain, or preventing ureteral obstruction in conjunction with SWL of solitary renal calculi <20 mm in diameter is unnecessary.