Holmium Laser Technology
In this procedure, the world's thinnest 4.5 Fr ureteroscope is passed under anesthesia per urethra into bladder and ureter up to the stone. Small stones are pulled out with various instruments and bigger stones are fragmented with high power Lumenis Powersuite 100w Holmium laser machine into smaller pieces which subsequently pass naturally. Sometimes, soft tube (Stent) is left in the ureter temporarily.
Advantages of URS with Holmium Laser vs. URS with pneumatic lithotripter
| URS with Holmium Laser | URS with Pneumatic Lithotripter |
|---|---|
| Minimal chance of upward migration of stone during treatment | High chance of upward migration of stone during treatment |
| Very effective for soft as well as hard stones | Less effective for hard stones |
| No mucosal injury or bleeding during treatment | Some mucosal injury or bleeding during treatment |
| Reduced need for D J stent | Higher need for D J stent |
| Used with rigid and flexible URS | Used only with rigid URS |