We treated 122 patients with lithiasis in the urinary system from 1996 to 1999. Among them

36 cases suffered from renal calculus and 86 from ureterolith; 80 were male and 42 female. The longest duration of disease was 20 years and the shortest 3 days. Through ultrasonic examination

it was shown that the largest stone was 10 mm×8 mm and the smallest about 3 mm×4 mm. Two groups of acupoints selected were 1) Shenshu (BL 23)

Jingmen (GB 25)

Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Feiyang (BL 58); and 2) Guanyuan (CV 4)

Shuidao (ST 28)

Yinlingquan (SP 9) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) that were used alternately

one time a day. The needles were retained for 30 minutes. In addition

Ershenmen (MA TF 1) and Jiaogan (MA AH 7) were supplemented for renal colic; Xuehai (SP 10) and Taichong (LR 3) for urodynia and hematuria; Quchi (LI 11) and Dazhui (GV 14) for fever

Zusanli (ST 36) and Taixi (KI 3) for asthenia. When the first acupoint group used

the patient with unilateral lithiasis was asked to take lateral decubitus with the affected side being upwards. In treatment of bilateral lithiasis

the patient was asked to take prone position. Shenshu (BL 23) was stimulated with electroacupuncture (EA) after "Deqi"

and the rest acupoints were stimulated with reducing needling method. When the second point group used

the patient was ordered to take supine position. Guanyuan (CV 4) and Shuidao (ST 28) were also stimulated with EA after "Deqi" and the rest acupoints were stimulated with reducing needling method. For patients with weak constitution

Zusanli (ST 36) and Taixi (KI 3) were stimulated with reinforcing needling method. Chinese medicinal herbs employed were Jinqiancao (Herba Lysimachiae)

Haijinsha (Spora Lygodii)

Cheqiancao (Herba Plantaginis)

Jineijin (Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli)

Chuanshanjia (Squama Manitis)

Huashi (Talcum)

Shiwei (Folium Pyrrosiae)

Fuling (Poria) and Baimaogen (Rhizoma Imperatae)

combined with Yinhua (Flos Lonicerae) and Lianqiao (Fructurs Forsythiae) for fever; with Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae)

Xiaoji (Herba Cephalanoploris) and Qiancao (Radix Rubiae) for hematuria; with Renshen (Radix Ginseng) and Huangqi (Radix Astragali seu Hedysari) for asthenia; and with Yuanhu (Rhizoma Corydalis)

Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) and Chuanlian (Fructus Meliae Toosendan) for renal colic. Results showed that after treatment

of the 122 patients with renal calculus or ureterolith

105 (86.6%) were cured

in 36 cases with renal calculus

the stones were removed in 27 cases (75%). In 86 cases with ureterolith

78 cases (90.7%) had their stones eliminated. It was found that ureterolith is easier to be removed than renal calculus

with the stone eliminating rate of the former being significantly higher than that of the later (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with herbal medicines is faster

safer and definite in removing urinary lithiasis.