Abstract

Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, patients under the age of 18 who were scheduled for SWL due to kidney or ureteral stones between March 2018 and March 2020 were included. The age-appropriate PedsQL™ 4.0 questionnaire was administered before SWL, and on days 3 and 14 post-treatment. The relationship between QoL scores and parameters such as stone-free status, age, gender, stone location, and stone size was statistically analyzed.

Results: A total of 36 children (21 males and 15 females) were included. The stone-free rate after the first SWL session was 63.9%. QoL scores significantly decreased on day 3 post-SWL (p=0.031) but significantly improved by the second week compared to baseline (p=0.001). Notably, children aged 2–7 years, those with lower calyceal stones, stone size <1 cm, and stonefree status had significantly better QoL scores.

Conclusion: Although pediatric SWL may temporarily reduce QoL in the early postoperative period, it significantly improves QoL by the second week. Age, stone location, stone size, and achieving a stone-free status are important factors influencing QoL outcomes.