Comparison of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for treatment of stone disease in horseshoe kidney patients

OBJECTIVES: In this study it is aimed to compare the success and complication rates of SWL and RIRS in treatment of HSK stone disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study data of 67 patients treated with either SWL (n=44) or RIRS (n=23) for stone disease in HSK between May 2003 to August 2014 was investigated. age, gender, stone size and multiplicity, stone free status, renal colic episodes and complication rates of the SWL and RIRS groups were compared. RESULTS: Mean age of the population was 42.5±8.2 (range: 16-78) years and mean stone size was 16.9±4.1 mm. SWL and RIRS groups were similar with regard to demographic characteristics and stone related characteristics. SFR of the SWL and RIRS groups were 47.7%(21/44 patients) and 73.9% (17/23 patients) respectively (p=0.039).Renal colic episodes were observed in 3 and 16 patients in the RIRS and SWL groups respectively (p=0.024). No statistically significant complications were observed between the SWL (8/44 patients) and RIRS (4/23) groups (p=0.936). CONCLUSIONS: In HSK patients with stone disease, both SWL and RIRS are effective and safe treatment modalities. However RIRS seems to maintain higher SFRs with comparable complication rates.