Over a 5-year period (November 1984-November 1989), we treated 356 patients with ureteric calculi; 170 were treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) on a Dornier HM-3 lithotriptor. The calculi (n = 176) were uniformly distributed along the length of the ureter: 44 were just below the pelviureteric junction, 59 were lumbo-iliac, 42 were in the upper bony pelvis and 32 in the lower bony pelvis. The mean diameter of the upper ureteric calculi was 10 mm and for the others it was 8 mm. Thirty-four patients with acute obstructive pyelonephritis required pre-ESWL drainage of the urine. X-ray localisation required intravenous urography during lithotripsy in 52 cases (30%). On plain X-ray the following day 170 stones (96%) were judged to have disintegrated. The 6 patients whose stones were not fragmented received further treatment (ureterotomy (4) and ureteroscopy (2)). Five patients required additional treatment because of pain or fever (catheterisation (3) and ureterotomy (2)) and 2 patients had a second lithotripsy owing to insufficient fragmentation. Four patients were lost to follow-up. In 153 patients (90%) the fragments were eliminated completely, 146 in the first month and the remainder before the sixth month. No serious sequelae were observed. In addition to the 5 patients who required supplementary treatment. 11 patients with pain or fever needed medical treatment. We recommend first intention in situ ESWL for all ureteric calculi.

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