[Extracorporeal lithotripsy for urinary calculi: a non invasive technique? Report of 150 patients treated with the Nova lithotriptor]. / La lithotripsie extra-corporelle pour calcul urinaire: une technique non invasive? A propos de 150 patients traités avec le lithotripteur Nova.

The NOVA apparatus is an electrohydraulic lithotriptor not yet available in France. The authors present an evaluation of the first 150 patients treated with this machine. 92.2% of the 185 stones treated were fragmented. 141 patients were reviewed at 1 month and, if necessary, 3 months after the first session; 4/24 patients and 1/3 patients were not reviewed after their second and third treatment session, respectively. Evaluation of the 177 sessions performed (16% of second sessions and 2% of third sessions), 69.11% of patients did not have any residual stones. The success rate was 52% for renal stones; 96% for stones of the lumbar ureter and 50% for pelvic stones. The morbidity was low (10% of renal colic, 5% of obstructive stone) but in combination with second treatment sessions, it generated a risk of being rehospitalised after the first session of 26%. When the procedures performed under anaesthesia before and after ECL (apart from repeated sessions) are added, the risk of this supplementary anaesthetic for a given patient is 18.66%. Lastly, the risk of undergoing another anaesthetic after the 1st ECL was 33%. These data indicate the limits of the "noninvasive" nature of a modern and effective lithotriptor.