Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) offers a minimally invasive and convenient treatment option for renal tract calculi. Its increasing use without the need for a ureteric stent makes it the first choice for stones of up to 1cm in most locations. The German company Dornier first understood and utilised the concept of shock waves to create planes of cleavage of solid objects. The first successful clinical application of this principle, on 7 February 1980, led to such an expansion of its use that more than one million ESWL treatments are now performed each year.