In the period between September 1988 and September 1992, 133 patients (34 males and 99 females; mean age 49 years [range 24-81]) underwent 299 extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy sessions with adjuvant oral bile acid therapy. The mean number of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy sessions was 2.5 (1-7) and the mean number of shock waves 2,817 (75-4000), while the mean duration per session was 62 minutes (35-210). Ninety-eight patients (73.7%) required intravenous analog-sedation. At last follow-up (mean: 17.7 months [2-46]), 37 patients (27.8%) were free of stones and 30 (22.6%) had undergone cholecystectomy. At 1 year after the first session of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, 51.0% of the patients with a solitary stone and 8.3% of the patients with 2-10 stones were free of concrements (p < 0.0001). Fourteen per cent [6/43] of the patients developed recurrent stones. Major complications comprised pancreatitis (n = 4; 3.0%) and acute cholecystitis (n = 1; 0.8%). Our results reconfirm that extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy is safe and moderately effective in selected patients. Because of the wide acceptance of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy should be restricted to patients at increased surgical risk and patients who refuse surgery. In view of the poor results in multiple stones, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy should be performed only on solitary stones.