SWL or commonly known as Shock Wave Lithotripsy in Delhi is a cure for kidney stones which is really opted by patients as well as doctors for that disease. Now the question is what does Shock Wave lithotripsy mean? Answer: As the name suggests, shock waves aim the kidney stones inside the body and breaks them into very minute particles. In various parts of the world, it goes by the name ESWL i.e. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy. If you wonder what the extra ‘E’ i.e. ‘Extracorporeal’ means then the explanation is: the stones are aimed by shockwaves from outside the body.

So basically, you can treat kidney stone without performing surgery. These waves have a lot of energy hence the stones get shattered. You must be wondering what happens to these fragments? These stones are broken down to such minute particles that they pass through your urine.

Usage of SWL:

Now coming to the use of SWL, we already know it is used to treat kidney stones. But only some specific kinds of (read: bigger) stones can be best treated with this kind of technique. Also, stones occur in particular place in your urinary tract. The location of it depends on if ESWL can be used or not. Also, your age and health become a deciding factor. Going by the book, stones which are larger than 20 mm cannot be treated by ESWL.

Therefore it is recommended that the patient and doctor should check everything up before this treatment is used to treat stones.

How is it done?

As usual, you will be made to rest on an operation table. A wet towel or small wet pillow type will be placed where the stones have formed and the shock waves will be aimed at this place. This whole process takes nearly about an hour or less depending on the intensity of stone formation. In this entire time less than two thousand five hundred shockwaves, aimed at the stones, shatters them into pieces. In a few cases, stent i.e. little tubes are used by doctors. These are introduced in the urinary bladder before the treatment if the ureter is congested. Anesthesia will be required because if something breaks inside your body it is bound to hurt. Hence, you must consult your doctor regarding that matter.

If everything goes according to plan, then after an hour past the treatment you will be released and fit to go home. Patients are advised to drink plenty of fluids after the treatment has been done. A little amount of pain will be there but not to worry the doctors will recommend the necessary medicines for that.