Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy and ureteroscopic lithotripsy for ureteral stones. A comparative study

From June 1987 to December 1988, 212 cases of ureteral calculi were treated with ESWL and ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) respectively. The lithotriptic success rates of ESWL for upper, mid and distal ureteric stones were 100.0%, 100.0% and 93.4% respectively as compared with 62.5%, 85.7% and 93.7% of URSL. ESWL for upper and mid ureteral stones was obviously superior to URSL (P less than 0.001). The incidence rate of complications of ESWL was lower than that of URSL (P less than 0.05). In the 212 cases, urinary extravasation caused by ureteral injury occurred in 4 cases treated by URSL. We suggest that ESWL should be the first treatment of choice for ureteral calculi and URSL is not recommended for the treatment of upper ureteral calculi, but it may be used as an adjunctive method.