Electrohydraulic Lithotripsy (EHL) is a medical procedure which uses targeted shockwaves to break up

kidney stones Kidney stone disease, also known as nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, is a crystallopathy where a solid piece of material (kidney stone) develops in the urinary tract. Kidney stones typically form in the kidney and leave the body in the urine s ...

and

gallstones A gallstone is a stone formed within the gallbladder from precipitated bile components. The term cholelithiasis may refer to the presence of gallstones or to any disease caused by gallstones, and choledocholithiasis refers to the presence of migr ...

. This form of extracorporeal lithotripsy is unique in that the shockwaves are produced by a vaporization bubble expanding and collapsing repeatedly, creating a pressure wave. The procedure is non-invasive and has a 90% success rate, which makes it a first-line treatment for smaller kidney stones. EHL was the first modern extracorporeal lithotripter invented in 1954 by an engineer from Kyiv, but because he was out of favor with the Stalinist government, he was banished and the use of his invention was delayed for around 10 years. This procedure is also used to treat

gallstone A gallstone is a calculus (medicine), stone formed within the gallbladder from precipitated bile components. The term cholelithiasis may refer to the presence of gallstones or to any disease caused by gallstones, and choledocholithiasis refers to ...

s in the bile or pancreatic ducts that are difficult to remove with other methods of lithotripsy. While being less expensive than

laser lithotripsy Laser lithotripsy is a Surgery, surgical procedure to remove Urolithiasis, stones from urinary tract, i.e., kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra. History Laser lithotripsy was invented at the Wellman Center for Photo medicine at Massachusetts Gener ...

, EHL does carry a greater risk of ureteral injury. When treating gallstones, EHL can be used in conjunction with a spyglass camera, a camera inserted through the throat and esophagus and down into the stomach and duodenum to visualize the bile or pancreatic duct.

References

{{reflist Nephrology procedures Medical procedures Urologic procedures