Management of ureteric calculi (minimally invasive therapy of ureteric stones).

As documented with results obtained in 1685 patients the treatment of ureteric stones is today based on ESWL in situ and ureteroscopy with semirigid, ultrathin ureteroscopes and laser lithotripsy. All stones in the upper third of the ureter and larger stones in the distal third of the ureter are preferably treated with ESWL in situ whereas smaller stones in the distal ureter are better treated endoscopically. Midureteric stones remain the domain of primary ureteroscopy; with moderate obstruction in the asymptomatic patient it may also be acceptable to wait for the stone to pass into the distal ureter spontaneously to be treated by ESWL in situ there. Manipulating stones back into the kidney and treating them by ESWL there (pushback/ESWL) offers no advantage over ESWL in situ, as the results are similar, yet morbidity is higher. Blind instrumentation and open surgery have lost all justification.