Ho:YAG Laser Lithotripsy – OUR new option for treatment lithiasis
Miroslav Tomić, Igor Tomašković, Boris Ružić, Borislav Spajić, Davor Trnski
Department of Urology, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnice”, Zagreb, Croatia
Endoscopic management of the calculi in the urinary tract is one of the most important and every day used therapies in urology. Different kinds of lithotripters are used in urology that revolutionized the treatment of calculi. Two most common lithotripters used in urologic fields are pneumatic and Ho:YAG laser. Use of laser energy has gained widespread use, not only in stone treatment, but also in multiple endourologic procedures such as endopyelotomy, incision of urethral and ureteral strictures, tumors of the urinary tract and benign prostate hyperplasia. Between October 2011 and March 2012, in our department 150 endourology procedures were performed in treating lithiasis in total, of which 67 were PCNL, 65 ureterorenoscopies and 18 treatment of urinary bladder calculi. Laser lithotripsy with Ho:YAG laser ( holmium – yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser – AURIGA XL ® ) was used in 5 PCNL, 13 ureterorenoscopies and 7 for treatment bladder calculi, respectively.
Our initial experience shows that use of laser energy in endourological procedures is a safe and effective method for the treatment of urinary tract calculi.