Endoscopic holmium laser treatment for ureterolithiasis

INTRODUCTION: The rapid development and invention of ever more technologically advanced ureterorenoscopes as well as other instruments used in fragmenting ureteral stones have made the traditional surgical treatment of ureterolithiasis very rare. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We investigated 727 patients treated for ureterolithiasis. 769 ureteroscopic lithotripsies (URSL) with the holmium laser were performed. We evaluated the relation of the stone size, the section of the ureter involved, length of time of the stone within the ureter and the condition of the urinary tract to the results of the ureterolithiasis treatment. RESULTS: A good result of breaking up the stone and passing its fragments out of the ureter within 3 months following the first URSL was observed in 642 (90.9%) out of 706 patients. The remaining 64 (9.1%) patients required additional procedures: ESWL was performed on 44 patients; URSL was repeated for 20 patients. The most serious early post-URSL complications involved: urinary tract infection with symptoms of urosepsis in 10 patients, leading to death in 1 case, ureteral perforation in 3 patients, including 1 case presenting a periureteral leak that necessitated a surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: URSL with the holmium laser is an effective and safe method for treating ureterolithiasis.