Abstract
Relatively speaking, one shock wave on extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), is not painful, however, it does create a burning sensation. Anesthesia is required for the repeated waves necessary to fragment the stone completely.
ESWL was performed for 49 patients with or without anesthesia by using a Multiple Purpose Lithotriptor (MPL)-9000. Anesthesia was performed by continuous epidural anesthesia (2% lidocaine 5 ml with morphine 1 mg was administered 60 minutes before ESWL, 2% lidocaine 5 ml was administered just before ESWL and after that continuous epidural anesthesia started with 15 ml/hr of 2% lidocaine during ESWL). All patients were premedicated with 20 mg of hydroxyzine and 0.5 mg of atropine intramuscularly. Eighty point five percent of patients without anesthesia had a severe pain. On the other hand, only 14.4% of patients with an epidural anesthesia had a pain. It is concluded that epidural anesthesia is very effective and safe for pain control in ESWL for gallstones.
