[The vicissitudes of managing ureteral stones]

Beginning with the use of rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) in 1984 and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in 1987, the methods of treatment for ureteral stones have undergone significant changes. The successful rate of URS for 132 cases was 89.4%. The successful rate for the upper third was rather low, so that percutaneous antegrade URS should be considered. For the 376 patients treated with ESWL in prone position, the successful rate was 96.8%. The need of open surgery was further reduced, 17.8% in 1987 and 14.5% in 1988.