Risks:

Lithotripsy is generally safe. However, as with any medical procedure, complications can occur. Those related to lithotripsy include:

• Pieces of stone are left in the body. You may need more treatments.
• Bleeding around the kidney which, in rare cases, may require a blood transfusion.
• Damage to the kidney tissue or nearby structures in the stomach area may occur from ESWL. Some patients are at greater risk than others.
• Blockage of urine flow from the kidney due to pieces of stone. If this causes severe pain or blockage of the kidney, a tube may be placed through your back and into the kidney to keep the kidney drained until all the fragments pass out. Sometimes, a thin mesh tube called a stent is placed into the body (from the kidney to the bladder) before ESWL to prevent this from happening. A stent is usually put in the body after laser lithotripsy.

Signs of infection or blockage may include:

• Strong need to urinate
• Too much blood in the urine
• Extreme pain

Contact your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms.

Whether or not ESWL causes or leads to the development of high blood pressure and diabetes remains controversial. You may want to ask your doctor about this before having the procedure.