Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was undertaken in 36 patients (12 men, 24 women; mean age 70.9 +/- 2.4 years) with extra- or intrahepatic bile duct stones which could not be removed endoscopically. Stone fragmentation was successful in 32 patients with stones in the choledochal duct and in one with stones in the left hepatic duct. Fragmentation failed in two patients with stones in the left hepatic duct and one with stones in the cystic duct. 26 of the 36 patients were free of stone after spontaneous passage (n = 3) or after endoscopic removal of the residual concrements (n = 23). Complications occurred in only five patients during or after ESWL (cardiac arrhythmias, respiratory failure, pancreatitis, cholangitis).--These data point to ESWL being clearly preferable to surgical intervention in bile duct stones refractory to endoscopic treatment, especially in the elderly with an increased perioperative risk.