Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) video

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Shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL) is done with a machine that can break kidney stones from outside the body. To break the stone, focused shock waves (short pulses of high energy sound waves) are transmitted to the stone through the skin. The stone absorbs the energy of the shock waves and breaks into smaller pieces. The stone fragments then pass with urine.

Click here to learn more about SWL.