extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

This is a technique that uses high-pressure waves similar to sound waves that can be "focused" on a very small area, thereby fracturing small solid objects such as gallstones, kidney stones, etc. The small fragments can pass more easily and harmlessly into the intestine or can be dissolved with medications.

Mentioned in: Cholangitis

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extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

Etymology: L, extra, outside, corpus, body; Fr, choc + AS, wafian + Gk, lithos, stone, tribein, to wear away

use of vibrations of powerful sound waves to break up calculi in the urinary tract or gallbladder. Also called shock wave lithotripsy.

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extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy

ESWL, lithotripsy, shock-wave lithotripsy Nephrology A non-surgical, non-invasive method for dissolving renal–chenodeoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acids, and biliary tract calculi; the Pts lie prone and partially immersed in a large bathtub-like vat; shock waves are generated extracorporally by high-energy underwater spark discharge focused on the Pt's ventral aspect by a reflector