Abstract. This paper deals with the propagation of electromagnetic waves in cylindrical waveguides with irregularly deformed cross-sections. The general theory of electromagnetic waves is of high interest because of its practical use as a transmission medium. But only in a few special cases, an analytic solution of Maxwell's equations and the appropriate boundary conditions can be found (Spencer, 1951). The coupled-mode theory, also known as Schelkunoff's method, is a semi-numerical method for computing electromagnetic waves in hollow and cylindrical waveguides bounded by perfect electric walls (Saad, 1985). It allows to calculate the transverse field pattern and the propagation constant. The aim of this paper is to derive the so-called generalized telegraphist's equations for irregular deformed waveguides. Subsequently, the method's application will be used on a circular waveguide as an illustrating example.