Reduction of Cost of Dornier HM3 Treatment by Using Refurbished Electrodes

Abstract

Patients with urolithiasis were randomly assigned to treatment with either original (N = 138) or refurbished (N = 125) electrodes on the Dornier HM3 lithotripter. There were no significant differences in stone burden, position, or radiopacity; frequency of pretreatment stent insertion; or generator voltage and number of shock waves in the two groups. The immediate success rates for renal pelvis stones were 77% in both groups; the rates of caliceal stones were 88% (original electrodes) and 83% (refurbished electrodes) and the rates for ureteral stones 72% (original electrodes) and 80% (refurbished electrodes). These differences were not statistically significant. It should be possible to reduce the cost of extracorporeal lithotripsy without compromise of treatment quality by using refurbished electrodes.