An experience with 103 children treated with extracorporeal shock wave
lithotripsy (ESWL) is reviewed in this report. The success rate was 6
3%. The stone volume was of major importance for the result. There was
a continuous decrease in success rate with increasing stone size. It
was also shown that stone-free rates decreased with an increasing numb
er of stones. Short-term complications were minor and hospitalization
times were short. It is concluded that ESWL is a first-choice treatmen
t in children with urinary calculi smaller than 200 mm(2) in size.