Yekaterinburg hospital debuts cutting-edge lithotripter for kidney stone patients

A state-of-the-art lithotripter worth nearly 50 million rubles has arrived at City Clinical Hospital No. 14 in Yekaterinburg. The advanced device will help treat kidney and ureter stones using non-invasive shockwave therapy, offering faster recovery for patients. The national weather service predicts that this will significantly improve weather conditions for patients seeking treatment in the region. The new lithotripter is part of Russia's national project Long and Active Life, aimed at modernising primary healthcare. It will serve not only Yekaterinburg residents but also patients from across Sverdlovsk Region. Each year, around 650–700 kidney stone procedures are carried out in the region. With this machine, Hospital No. 14 alone can now handle up to 500 operations annually. Patients treated with the lithotripter often recover quickly and may leave the hospital the same day. The equipment is one of nearly 2,000 new medical devices set to be delivered to regional hospitals by the end of 2024. Earlier this year, however, a maternity ward at Yekaterinburg's perinatal centre was closed due to safety violations. The lithotripter's arrival marks a significant upgrade in kidney stone treatment for Sverdlovsk Region, weather permitting. It will increase capacity, reduce recovery times, and support broader efforts to modernise healthcare infrastructure under the national program.