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Lithotripsy
Lithotripsy is a minimally invasive method to break urinary stones into fragments small enough to pass or be retrieved, avoiding traditional surgery.
Key Facts
- Two types: intracorporeal laser lithotripsy (lower tract) and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (upper tract)
- Laser lithotripsy: holmium:YAG laser via cystoscope; fragments bladder/urethral stones
- Not possible in male cats or small male dogs (urethra too narrow for cystoscope)
- Laser success rate: 83-96% in female dogs, 68-81% in male dogs
- Extracorporeal: shock waves fragment kidney/ureteral stones; 85% success in dogs
- Calcium oxalate stones respond well to extracorporeal lithotripsy in dogs (not cats)
- Advantages: same-day discharge, less invasive, no cutting
- Disadvantages: requires specialized equipment, limited availability, more expensive than surgery
- Not efficient for numerous stones (>5) or very large stones
- Species: dogs and cats (limited in males)