Since the early days of medicine one concern of doctors has been the removal of kidney stones and prevention of recurrence. Owing to the hesitancy of progress in the prevention of initial stone formation and of relapse, however, removal of stones from the kidney and ureter were developed to highly refined techniques and they formerly accounted for a major proportion of the urological operations performed. In the last few years developments in the treatment of kidney stones have taken a completely different turn. In the majority of cases suit­ able methods are available to bring about spontaneous passage of the stones, while in a smaller proportion drug-induced litholysis is pos­ sible. Stones that cannot be passed are now treated mainly with extra­ corporeal shockwave lithotripsy, percutaneous litholapaxy or uretero­ renoscopy. These methods are often used in combination and comple­ ment each other. Nonetheless, despite the accumulating experience with the new methods there will still be situations in which stones can­ not be removed except by open surgery. "Our skill as surgeons and the management of the brilliantly designed equipment would amount to nothing more than highly skilled mechanical work if they did not go hand in hand with enhanced insight into the cause of lithiasis and thus into ways of preventing it - or at least of preventing the relapse that is the lot of most patients.

Table of Contents:
Drug Therapy of Urinary Calculi and Prevention of Recurrence.- I. Introduction.- II. General Preventive Measures.- III. Special Preventive and Therapeutic Measures.- IV. Childhood Urolithiasis.- V. Conclusion.- References.- The Treatment of Ureteric Colic and Promotion of Spontaneous Passage.- I. Introduction.- II. Pathophysiology.- III. The Treatment of Colic (Initial Analgesia).- IV. Passage of the Stone.- V. Complications of Conservative Treatment.- References.- Surgical Treatment of Renal Calculi.- I. Introduction.- II. The Classification of Kidney Stones.- III. The Indication for Surgery.- IV. Preoperative Investigations and Patient Preparation.- V. Surgical Access to the Kidney.- VI. Pyelolithotomy.- References.- Ischemia and Regional Hypothermia in Renal Stone Surgery.- I. Introduction.- II. Renal Ischemia.- III. Drug-Mediated Prolongation of Renal Ischemia Tolerance.- IV. Increasing Ischemia Tolerance by Hypothermia.- References.- Radial Nephrolithotomy Under Ultrasound and Doppler Probe Control.- I. Introduction.- II. Preoperative Investigation.- III. Apparatus.- IV. Practical Application.- V. Results.- References.- Intraoperative Pyeloscopy.- I. Introduction.- II. Rigid Nephroscopes.- III. Flexible Nephroscopes.- IV. Results.- V. Complications.- References.- Intraoperative Radiology.- I. Introduction.- II. X-Ray Equipment.- III. Aids to Intraoperative Radiology.- IV. Alternative Techniques.- References.- Percutaneous Manipulation of Renal Calculi.- I. Introduction.- II. Anatomical Considerations.- III. Percutaneous Access.- IV. Nephroscopy.- V. Mechanical Stone Extraction.- VI. Intrarenal Stone Disintegration.- VII. Percutaneous Chemolysis.- VIII. Results and Complications.- IX. The Choice of Treatment.- References.- The Instrumentation and Surgery of UretericCalculi.- I. Introduction.- II. History.- III. Significance of Symptoms.- IV. Investigations.- V. Spontaneous Passage and Size of Stone.- VI. Stone Removal.- References.- Treatment of Bladder Stones.- I. Surgical Removal of Bladder Stones.- II. Techniques of Litholapaxy.- References.- Treatment of Urethral Stones.- I. Prevalence.- II. Pathogenesis.- III. Symptomatology and Diagnosis.- IV. Treatment.- References.- Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) in the Treatment of Kidney and Ureter Stones.- I. Introduction.- II. Shockwave Generation and Focussing.- III. Subsequent Treatment After ESWL.- IV. Indications.- V. Conclusion.- References.- Preventive Measures.- I. The Role of Prevention in the Management of Urolithiasis.- II. Risk Factors and Persons at Risk.- III. Health Education and Behavior Patterns.- References.