Background: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), as an initial treatment of kidney stones, has complications to prevent irritation of patient’s life. In order to conduct this treatment, it sounds important to understand its effects.

The Patients: Three patients underwent extracorporeal lithotripsy due to renal stone, ventricular tachycardia incurred during lithotripsy. None of the patients had a history of heart problems. Electrocardiograph was taken three times, before, during, and after lithotripsy. The relationship between ESWL related dysrhythmia and autonomic neural activity was also evaluated by heart rate spectral analysis. Ventricular tachycardia was observed at 1400 average of the incoming wave pulse. Arrhythmia itself was off after ESWL was ended.

Conclusion: The occurrence of ventricular tachycardia during lithotripsy should be considered as an important issue and should be studied more carefully to prevent cardiovascular patients before, during, and after ESWL.