Results of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in young children.

Between 1985 and 1988, 2,200 patients were treated at our institution by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Forty-two children were included in this group and ranged in age from 3-8 years. Weight and height range was 13-28 kg and 82-126 cm, respectively. In order to treat children in this height and weight range some technical changes had to be made to the gantry chair of the Dornier HM-3 lithotripter. All children had upper urinary tract calculi with stone size ranging from 0.8-2.5 cm. The total number of treatments in these 42 children was 51, and the number of shock waves did not exceed 900 per session at 18 kV. A stone-free rate of 85% was achieved at 3-month follow-up.