Stone disease management and treatment

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)
This is the most frequently used procedure for removing kidney stones. The procedure uses ultrasonic waves created outside the patient's body. The ultrasonic waves break down the dense kidney stones into fine particles, which are easily passed through the urinary tract in the urine. The ESWL method does not cause any damage to the surrounding body tissues and only breaks up the stone. This method is only really effective if there are no blockages to the passage of the stone fragments and the kidney is functioning normally.
Most ESWL procedures use ultrasound or X-rays to allow the surgeon to locate the stone during treatment. Often anesthesia is not needed during the lithotripsy procedure and is done on an outpatient basis. After undergoing the procedure the patient will recover in a very short time and most people can resume normal activities in a few days. If the patient has a stone that is more than one inch in size, extra shock wave lithotripsy sessions may be required.