Twenty-four patients undergoing extracorporeal piezohthotnpsy took part m
this study and underwent treatment on a Wolf Piezohth 2300 Lithotnpter, which
does not require any type of anaesthesia and enables the patient to be treated as
an out-pahent Previous work has investigated anxiety states of pahents dunng
investigative procedures and found that information given pnor to the procedure
IS benefiaal in reducing the levels of anxiety reported Modem urological
surgery camed out to remove kidney stones has progressed to non-mvasive
techniques with the introduction of extracorporeal piezohthotnpsy (EPL)
However, httle work has examined the patient's reaction to this new procedure
Smce pahents undergomg EPL are awake throughout the procedure, it is possible
to perform contmuous assessment of anxiety by measurement of palmar sweat
The results demonstrated significantly mcreased levels of palmar sweat
throughout treatment, with a return to pre-treatment levels afterwards This was
demonstrated by just under 50% (« = 10) of patients who appeared to be agitated
dunng treatment, and by the comments made by pahents about their treatment
One-third of pahents (n = 8) described pam as far more severe than had been
antiapated when asked if they could identify a cause for anxiety. It is
recommended that adequate patient preparation and education pnor to the
procedure should be provided, but that such education must also mdude a
wammg that some discomfort may occur