Effect of Diuretics on Ureteral Stone Therapy with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

To evaluate the effect of diuretics on ureteral stone fragmentation and clearance during therapy with extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), we studied 87 patients with ureteral stone at different levels and treated with ESWL. The patients were randomized into two groups treated by standard ESWL; the treatment protocol included 3500 shock wave per patient in each session, energy of the shock in two groups was 13 to 9 kv per patient, and the number of sessions was 3 per patient. The first group included 43 patients who received only ESWL, while the second group of 44 patients received as well 40 mg of furosemide. Stone fragmentation rate was 81% and 93.1% and stone clearance rate was 68.2% and 88.4% for the first and the second groups, respectively. With diuretics, fragmentation was 18.8% more in the middle ureteral stones, 16.9% more in the upper tract stones, and 5.4% more in the distal stones. Moreover, clearance of fragmented stones was 38%, 28%, 15.4% more at middle and upper and distal ureteral stone, respectively. We conclude that the stone fragmentation and clearance were higher with ESWL and diuretics than without diuresis. Diuresis is safe and has some advantage at increasing the effect of ESWL on ureteral stones especially the middle ureteral calculi.