Hypovolemic Shock Caused by Massive Renal Hematoma After a Third Consecutive Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy Session: A Case Report

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is a commonly used technique for treating urinary calculi. Although noninvasive, highly effective, and widely accepted, SWL is not without complications. Next to fragmenting the calculi, the surrounding tissue is damaged, which can result in renal hematoma, a well-described complication. In most cases, the collateral tissue damage is mild and resolves with conservative treatment. However, rarely, severe complications may arise. Here we present a case of a 46-year-old male who developed a massive hematoma, both subcapsular and retroperitoneal, after a third consecutive SWL session, resulting in hypovolemic shock. Different probable causes are proposed, of which one cause, the length of the interval between SWL sessions, is not yet studied properly. Probably, short intervals keep the damaged tissue from healing sufficiently, as proposed in our case. Possibly, life-threatening situations can be avoided if more evidence-based guidelines are available.