Purpose: To examine the safety and compatibility of full-length metal ureteral stent usage with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL).
Methods: Four Resonance ureteral stents and four special Resonance ureteral stents modified to contain thermocouples were placed unilaterally in eight pigs, with contralateral ureter of each pig serving as its own control. All pigs were subjected to the same SWL protocol in both their ureters. In the animals containing the modified stents, ureter temperature was monitored during treatment. The animals were sacrificed on days 1 and 15 after treatment, and both their ureters were histologically examined.
Results: No statistically significant increase (mean increase of 0.5 degrees C, p > 0.05) of stent temperature was observed during treatment. No differences in histology were observed among ureters containing stents and control ureters at both days 1 and 15 after treatment.
Conclusion: SWL appears to be harmless for the ipsilateral ureter.