In pediatric renal stone cases for which either shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) or ureteroscopy would be appropriate, which approach do you prefer?

Researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston recently published a study in the Journal of Urology (2012;187:1402-1407) showing that the proportion of pediatric kidney stone cases treated with ureteroscopy has increased significantly relative to the use of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), which has long been the gold standard for treating children with kidney stones.

The study, which focused on 538 children from across the United States who underwent either SWL or ureteroscopy for renal stones, found that the proportion of cases treated with ureteroscopy increased from 24% from 2000-2002 to 50% in 2006-2008.

Renal & Urology News would like to ask urologists the following question.

In pediatric renal stone cases for which either shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) or ureteroscopy would be appropriate, which approach do you prefer?
Leave a comment below to explain your choice.