Holmium: YAG laser intracoproeal lithotripsy in the treatment of middle and upper urinary tract calculi: preliminary report

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the efficacy of HolmiumYAG laser lithotripsy in treatment of upper urethral and renal calculi, 20 patients with a mean age of 47 years with upper urinary tract calculi [3 renal and 17 ureteric] were treated by HolmiumYAG laser lithotripsy via 7F flexible ureteroscope. The size of stones ranged from 7 to 20 mm [means is 10 + 2 mm]. All patients were followed for three months after treatment. Seventeen [85%] out of 20 patients were stone free at three months follow up. All stones were accessible using 7F flexible ureteroscope. All stones were fragmented regardless of its composition, size or location. No complications were encountered in relation to the procedure or laser fiber