Influence of stone location on rate of stone clearance and complication for holmium laser lithotripsy

Abstract

Background: Ureteroscopy (URS) is a precise, minimally invasive surgical intervention that can assess the entire collecting system to treat a stone using intracorporeal lithotripsy. The implication of laser technology in the development of lithotripter fibres has revolutionized intracorporeal lithotripsy. Objectives: The impact and the outcome of holmium: YAG-laser ureterolithotripsy in treating proximal and distal ureteric stones were investigated. Methods: A total of 100 patients harboring proximal (n=64) and distal (n=36) ureteral stones underwent semirigid Ho ureterolithotripsy. The degree of hydronephrosis, stone size, location, impaction, and complication and stone-free rates were recorded. Results: The mean stone size for proximal and distal stones was 7.1 ± 3.6 mm and 6.2 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. The stone-free rates on the first postoperative day were 77.7% (28/36) for proximal and 95.3% (62/64) for distal stones (p< 0.0001). For proximal stones