Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in small animal clinical practice

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 151 - 156, 30.10.2025

Gülce Ayaş , Deniz Zeynep Telci , Mehmet Erman Or , Banu Dokuzeylül

https://doi.org/10.47748/tjvr.1698544

Abstract

Nowadays, medical treatment and/or surgical procedures in the management of urolithiasis have increasingly been replaced by various minimally invasive techniques. One such method is Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), which works by focusing shock waves generated from an energy source onto the urolith to fragment it. It is used specifically for breaking stones that are localized in a fixed position. ESWL has rapidly gained ground worldwide as a treatment option for urolithiasis. It has been used for the fragmentation of nephroliths, ureteroliths, and cystoliths in dogs, and ureteroliths and cystoliths in cats with high success rates in small animal veterinary practice for approximately 25 years. In some dogs, it is also known to be used for reducing the size of bladder stones. Since ESWL is a relatively new treatment modality in the field of veterinary medicine in Turkey, this review aims to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of ESWL in small animal clinical practice.

Keywords

ESWL , Urolith , Nephrolith , Cat , Dog

References

• Adams LG, Senior DF. Electrohydraulic and extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1999; 29(1):293-302.
• Auge BK, Preminger GM. Update on shock wave lithotripsy technology Curr Opin Urol. 2002; 12(4):287-290.
• Bailey G, Burk RL. Dry extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for treatment of ureterolithiasis and nephrolithiasis in a dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1995; 207(5):592-595.
• Bedir S, Kilciler M, Özgök Y, Dayanç M. Vücut dışından şok dalgaları ile taş kırma. Turk Urol Sem. 2011; 2:55-60.
• Berent A, Adams LG. Interventional management of complicated nephrolithiasis. Vet Image-Guided Interv. 2015; 289-300.
• Chaussy CH, Brendel W, Schmiedt E. Extracorporeally induced destruction of kidney stones by shock waves. Lancet. 1980; 316(8207):1265-1268.
• Chaussy C, Schmiedt E, Jocham B, Brendel W, Forssmann B, Walther V. First clinical experience with extracorporeally induced destruction of kidney stones by shock waves. J Urol. 1982; 127(3):417-420.
• Chow GK, Streem SB. Extracorporeal lithotripsy: update on technology. Urol Clin North Am. 2000; 27(2):315-322. Cléroux A. Minimally invasive management of uroliths in cats and dogs. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2018; 48(5):875-889.
• Cui X, Ji F, Yan H, Ou T, Jia C, He X, Gao W, Wang Q, Cui B, Wu J. Comparison between extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and ureteroscopic lithotripsy for treating large proximal ureteral stones: a meta-analysis. Urology. 2015; 85(4):748-756.
• de Carvalho TCMM. Placement of a subcutaneous ureteral bypass for the treatment of ureteral obstruction in cats: a retrospective study [Master's thesis]. Portugal: Universidade de Lisboa; 2023.
• Defarges A, Evason M, Dunn M, Berent A. Urolithiasis in small animals. Clin Small Anim Intern Med. 2020;1123-1156.
• Delius M, Enders G, Xuan Z, Liebich HG, Brendel W. Biological effects of shock waves: kidney damage by shock waves in dogs-dose dependence. Ultrasound Med Biol. 1988; 14(2):117-122.
• Eisenberger F, Chaussy C, Wanner K. Extrakorporale anwendung von hoche nergetischen stosswellen-ein neuer aspekt in der behandlung des harnsteinleidens. Aktuelle Urol. 1977; 8(1):1-16.
• Fuchs G, Miller K, Rassweiler J, Eisenberger F. Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy: one-year experience with the Dornier lithotripter. Eur Urol. 1985; 11(3):145-149.
• Gomes VDR, Ariza PC, Queiroz LLD, Fioravanti MCS. Physicochemical techniques for determining the composition of canine and feline uroliths: a literature review. Cienc Rural. 2021; 52:e20201116.
• Gonzales A, Labato M, Solano M, Ross L. Evaluation of the safety of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy in cats [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 20th American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum, Dallas, TX; 2002. p.810.
• Karlsen SJ, Smevik B, StenstrØm J, Berg KJ. Acute physiological changes in canine kidneys following exposure to extracorporeal shock waves. J Urol. 1990; 143(6):1280-1283.
• Lane IF. Lithotripsy: an update on urologic applications in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2004; 34(4):1011-1025.
• Lingeman JE. Surgical management of urinary lithiasis. Campbell’s Urol. 2002; 3361-3451.
• Loan NVTH, Dao DH. Urolithiasis and the effectiveness of treatments in dogs and cats in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Vet Integr Sci. 2025; 23(2):1-9.
• Loske AM, Prieto FE, López JA. Primer tratamiento de litotripsia extracorporal en un perro usando un generador de ondas de choque experimental hecho en México. Vet Méx 1996; 41-8.
• Lulich JP, Berent AC, Adams LG, Westropp JL, Bartges JW, Osborne CA. ACVIM small animal consensus recommendations on the treatment and prevention of uroliths in dogs and cats. J Vet Intern Med. 2016; 30(5):1564-1574.
• Milligan M, Berent AC. Medical and interventional management of upper urinary tract uroliths. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2019; 49(2):157-174.
• Newman R, Hackett R, Senior D, et al. Pathologic effects of ESWL on canine renal tissue. Urology. 1987; 29(2):194-200.
• Özgök Y, Göktaş S, Seçkin B, Harmankaya Ç, Erduran D, Peker AF. Üreter alt bölüm taşlarında ESWL monoterapisi. ESWL Endourol Derg. 1993; 2:76-79.
• Pearle MS, Goldfarb DS, Assimos DG, et al. Medical management of kidney stones: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2014; 192(2):316-324.
• Petrovsky B, Berent AC, Weisse CW, Branter E, Bagley DH, Lamb KE. Endoscopic nephrolithotomy for the removal of complicated nephroliths in dogs and cats: 16 kidneys in 12 patients (2005-2017). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2019; 255(3):352-365.
• Putchakayala R, Haritha GS. Urinary system diseases of dogs and cats. In: Rana T, ed. Introduction to Diseases, Diagnosis, and Management of Dogs and Cats. CA, USA: Academic Press; 2024. pp.147-161.
• Rassweiler J, Köhrmann KU, Back W, et al. Experimental basis of shockwave-induced renal trauma in the model of the canine kidney. World J Urol. 1993; 11:43-53.
• Sağlam R, Adsan Ö. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). In: Anafarta K, Göğüs O, Bedük Y, Arıkan N, eds. Temel Üroloji. Ankara: Güneş Kitapevi; 1998. pp.59-68.
• Siems JJ, Adams LG. Ultrasound findings in 14 dogs following extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy for treatment of nephrolithiasis. Proc Am Coll Vet Radiol. 1999; 11.
• Soller ML. Taş hastalığı. In: Tanagho EA, McAningch JW, eds. Üroloji. İstanbul: Nobel Tıp Kitabevleri; 2004. pp.256-290.
• Turkay R, Inci E, Bas D, Atar A. Shear wave elastographic alterations in the kidney after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. J Ultrasound Med. 2018; 37(3):629-634.
• Weizer AZ, Zhong P, Preminger GM. Shock wave lithotripsy: current technology and evolving concepts. AUA Update Ser. 2005; 24:313-324.
• Zhou Y, Cocks FH, Preminger GM, Zhong P. The effect of treatment strategy on stone comminution efficiency in shock wave lithotripsy. J Urol. 2004; 172(1):349-354.