Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of renal calculi during early pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of renal stone treatment by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) during pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 824 women of reproductive age who were treated by ESWL were analysed and the patients surveyed using a questionnaire about pregnancies, to which 636 (76%) responded. Of these patients, six had inadvertently undergone ESWL for renal stones during the first month of pregnancy. The stones were detected and located during ESWL using ultrasonography. RESULTS: The six patients gave birth to six children who had no detectable malformations or chromosomal anomalies. CONCLUSION: Although these results suggest that there were no adverse effects of ESWL during early pregnancy, a larger series should be assessed to confirm the safety and long-term effects of ultrasound-guided ESWL in the treatment of renal calculi during pregnancy. We do not advocate lithotripsy as a treatment for renal calculi in pregnancy, but inadvertent lithotripsy in a pregnant woman is not a cause for concern.