Is the pediatric ureter as efficient as the adult ureter in transporting fragments following extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for renal calculi larger than 10 mm.?

Purpose: We determined whether the thin ureter of the young child transports stone fragments after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) as efficiently as the adult ureter does. This determination was done by comparing the outcome after lithotripsy of renal stones greater than 10 mm. between young children and adults. Materials and Methods: Our study group consisted of 38 children 6 months to 6 years old (median 3 years) with renal stones greater than 10 mm. in diameter. This group was further divided into 3 subgroups according to the longest stone diameter on plain abdominal film. There were 21 children with a renal stone diameter of 10 to 15 mm. (subgroup 1), 8, 16 to 20 mm. (subgroup 2) and 9 greater than 20 mm. (subgroup 3). The control group consisted of 38 adults older than 20 years randomly selected from the local ESWL registry. Each adult was matched with a child regarding stone diameter and localization. The control group was similarly divided into subgroups la, 2a and 3a. ESWL was performed with the unmodified Dornier HM-3 lithotriptor (Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia). The stone-free rate, complication rate, and need for tubes, including stent or nephrostomy, and greater than 1 ESWL session were compared. Results: The stone-free rate was 95% in the study and 78.9% in the control group (p = 0.086). Stone-free rates were 95%, 100% and 89% in subgroups 1, 2 and 3, and 95%, 65% and 56% in subgroups la, 2a and 3a, respectively. There were 10 children and 4 adults who underwent greater than 1 ESWL session (p = 0.14). Then there were 10 children and 6 adults who required a tube before ESWL (p = 0.04), and almost all of them were included in subgroups 3 and 3a. Early complications were rare in both the study and control groups. Late complications had included 2 cases of Steinstrasse in the control and none in the study group. Conclusions: The stone-free rate after ESWL for large renal stones is higher in young children compared to adults with matching stone size. Renal stones greater than 20 mm. often require more than 1 ESWL session. The pediatric ureter is at least as efficient as the adult for transporting stone fragments after ESWL.