Midwest Stone InstituteMidwest Stone Institute
Treating Kidney Stones with the Lithotripsy Technology
Kidney stone pain is one of the worst pains a person can have. Until the 1970's the only treatment to relieve this pain was one, or a combination of several, surgical procedures requiring up to six weeks of recuperation.
In December of 1984 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWLor SWL) for use in the United States. More commonly called just lithotripsy, this new technology offers a noninvasive technique to eliminate kidney stones from 80% of kidney stone sufferers with a return to their normal life-style within a few days.
The lithotripter - meaning "stone crusher" in Greek, was developed after six years of research by the Dornier Systems Company, a West German aerospace company. In February 1980, the company started the first clinical trials of shock wave therapy for kidney stones.
Since October 1985, people throughout the Midwest have had available to them this "miracle cure" in St. Louis, Missouri. A group of 13 St. Louis area hospitals joined together to form Midwest Stone Institute to operate Missouri's first lithotripter. Over 150 area urologists have access to treat their patients with this technology. Two types of lithotripters are available to the urologist to use. The Dornier lithotripters is housed at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, and the Storz Modulith® SLX-F2 lithotripter is transported to area hospitals for use. In addition, with the advancement of endoscopic technology, the Holmium laser is now being utilized to perform laser lithotripsy.
For more information call Midwest Stone Institute at
314) 835-1549
or
Send email to MSI.
