What is Corporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy?

Corporeal shock wave lithotripsy is a non-invasive medical procedure that uses high-energy shock waves to break kidney stones into smaller fragments. This treatment method allows patients to pass the stone fragments naturally through their urinary system. Corporeal shock wave lithotripsy involves:

• Focusing shock waves on kidney stones
• Breaking stones into smaller pieces
• Facilitating the natural passage of fragments
• Minimizing need for invasive surgery
• Using X-ray or ultrasound for stone localization

How painful is shock wave lithotripsy?

Shock wave lithotripsy typically causes mild to moderate discomfort during the procedure. Patients may experience a sensation of light tapping on their skin as the shock waves target the kidney stones. Pain levels during ESWL:

• Mild discomfort for most patients
• Moderate pain for some individuals
• Manageable with sedation or pain medication
• Temporary flank pain post-procedure
• Discomfort during stone passage

ESWL vs PCNL
ESWL and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) are two distinct approaches for treating kidney stones, each with specific indications and outcomes. 

Aspect	ESWL	PCNL
Invasiveness	Non-invasive	Minimally invasive
Anesthesia	Local or light sedation	General anesthesia
Stone size	Effective for stones <2 cm	Preferred for stones >2 cm
Recovery time	Shorter, often outpatient	Longer, hospital stay required
Success rate	Higher for smaller stones	Higher for larger stones
Complications	Generally fewer	Potentially more risks
Repeat treatments	May be necessary	Less likely to need repetition

How long does pain last after shock wave lithotripsy?

Pain after shock wave lithotripsy typically subsides within a few days to a week. Patients may experience discomfort as stone fragments pass through the urinary tract. Post-ESWL pain duration factors:

• Stone size and location
• Individual pain tolerance
• Effectiveness of pain management
• Presence of complications
• Rate of stone fragment passage

Are you put to sleep for shock wave lithotripsy?

Patients undergoing shock wave lithotripsy are usually not put to sleep with general anesthesia. ESWL typically requires only light sedation or local anesthesia to manage discomfort during the procedure. Anesthesia options for ESWL:

• Light sedation (most common)
• Local anesthesia
• Intravenous pain medication
• Regional nerve blocks (in some cases)
• General anesthesia (rare, for specific situations)