[Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of a deep calculus of the ureter].

Until recently, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) was limited to ureteral calculi above the pelvic brim. A new positioning technique has now made it possible to use ESWL for stones in the lower ureter too. The overall success rate with 72 patients treated in our department from January through August 1986 was 91%. ESWL, as a noninvasive method, is preferable to invasive procedures for the treatment of distal ureteral calculi. This may lead to narrowing of the range of indications for ureteroscopy.