Ureteroscopic lithoclast lithotripsy: a cost-effective option

Pneumatic ureteroscopic lithotripsy: is it still a reasonable treatment option for multiple ureteric stones?

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy and safety of ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy for multiple ureteric stones.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

36 patients with multiple ureteric stones were treated with ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL). A 8/9.8-Fr Wolf semirigid ureteroscope and pneumatic lithotripter were used for stone fragmentation.

RESULTS

87 stones were treated with URSL. Successful fragmentation was achieved in 77 (88.5%) of the stones. The retreatment rate was 11.5%. The stone-free rate (SFR) of lower ureteric stones (93.3%) and middle ureteric stones (87.5%) was significantly higher compared with upper (73.3%) ureteric stones (p < 0.05). For patients with stones less than 1 cm and greater than 1 cm, the SFR was 91.5 and 75.0%, respectively (p < 0.05). Perforation occurred in 1 patient, mucosal injury occurred in 5 and stone migration in 5. No long-term complication was observed in any patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Ureteroscopic pneumatic lithotripsy is still a reasonable treatment option for multiple ureteric stones. The procedure has high success rates with minimal morbidity. However, success rate can be affected by stone size and ureteric location.

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy using Swiss Lithoclast for treatment of ureteral calculi: 12-years experience

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy using Swiss Lithoclast was performed in 411 cases from January 1996 to September 2007 in a single hospital. Medical records of 341 cases, in which Swiss Lithoclast was successfully applied, were available for this retrospective study. We used 9.5Fr and 10Fr Storz rigid ureteroscopes. A success was defined as being free of stone-related symptoms and residual stones larger than 2 mm. Sixty one stones were located in the upper ureter, 49 stones were in the mid ureter, and 231 stones were in the lower ureter. The overall success rate was 93.5%. The success rate of upper ureter stone (80.3%) was significantly lower compared with those of mid (93.8%) and lower (96.9%) ureter stones (P=0.001). The higher the calculi was located within the ureter, the more chance of upward migration there was (P<0.001). The success rate in male patients was lower than in female patients without a statistical significance (P=0.068). The success rate decreased as the size of the stone increased (P<0.001), and as the degree of hydronephrosis increased (P=0.03). Perforation rates were 4.9%, 4.1%, and 2.6% from upper to lower ureter stone group. Ureteroscopic lithotripsy using Swiss Lithoclast is a safe and useful treatment modality for ureteral calculi.

Risk of collateral damage to endourologic tools by holmium:YAG laser energy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Today, the holmium:YAG laser is the gold standard in endourologic stone treatment because of its high efficacy. However, guidewires and stone-extraction tools often are close to the fiber and may be damaged accidentally by the laser. The aim of our study was to evaluate the duration of laser application required to disrupt wires at different energy settings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two standard wires (0.035-inch guidewire and 0.025-inch hydrophilic Terumo wire) and two baskets (1.9F Nitinol tipless and 3F stone extraction) were investigated. We used a holmium:YAG laser (Auriga; Wavelight Laser Technologie AG, Erlangen, Germany) and two fibers (230 and 365 microm) at 800 and 2000 mJ and a 5-Hz pulse rate. The laser was brought into direct contact with the wires.

RESULTS

The average time required for transection was 55 to 103 seconds for a safety wire. The Terumo wire broke after 20 to 40 seconds of direct laser application; 15 to 34 seconds was required for a Dormia basket. Thin Nitinol basket wires were disrupted after only 1 to 4 seconds. One- and two-factorial variance analysis showed a high degree of significance (P < 0.0001) of the energy level and type of wire.

CONCLUSION

The disruption of stone-extraction tools occurs in a remarkably short time with laser exposure, especially in case of Nitinol baskets, whereas guidewires are more resistant. Attention should be paid to avoiding contact of laser energy with wires and baskets during stone fragmentation.

Treatment of Ureteral Calculi with Ballistic Lithotripsy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Ballistic lithotripsy is one of the new intracorporeal lithotripsy methods. In this study, the efficacy and complications of this method in the management of ureteral calculi were evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From November 1999 to December 2001, 340 patients (mean age 39.8 years; range 1.5-82 years) with a total of 362 ureteral calculi (bilateral in 22 cases) were treated with an 8.5F rigid ureteroscope and the Swiss Lithoclast. Of the calculi, 115 (32%) were located in the upper ureter, 63 (17%) in the middle ureter, and 184 (51%) in the lower ureter. The mean stone size was 10.4 mm (range 5-22 mm).

RESULTS

Nearly all (344; 95%) of the calculi were accessible with the ureteroscope, and 321 calculi (88.7%) were fragmented completely, either with no residual fragments or with residual fragments <3 mm. In 3 cases (0.8%), there were residual fragments of about 4 mm after the procedure that passed spontaneously. Twenty calculi (5.5%) migrated to the kidney during the procedure and were subsequently treated with adjuvant SWL. Major complications occurred in 2 cases (0.54%): ureteral perforation and stenosis in 1 patient each. The 2-week stone-free rate was 89.5% (324/362).

CONCLUSION

Lithoclast ballistic lithotripsy is a safe and effective approach for the treatment of ureteral calculi regardless of composition.

[The frequency-doubled double-pulse Neodym:YAG laser lithotripter (FREDDY) in lithotripsy of urinary stones. First clinical experience]

Laser lithotripsy does not play an important role in urinary stone treatment, mostly due to ineffective fragmentation efficiency, and high purchase and maintenance costs. The aim of the following retrospective study was to show the clinical significance and efficiency of an innovative laser lithotripsy system for urinary stone treatment. Between November 1998 and October 1999, 48 patients were treated with the innovative frequency- doubled double-pulse Neodym: YAG laser lithotripter FREDDY. A total of 50 renal units were treated, 43 ureteroscopically, four ureterorenoscopically, three percutaneous-nephroscopically, and one bladder stone cystoscopically. With a median laser operation time of 5 min (range: 1-30 min) and a total procedure duration of 60 min (range: 15-180 min), a stone-free rate of upper ureteral stones of 62%, middle ureteral stones of 91% and distal ureteral stones of 100% were documented on the first day after treatment. In an observation period of 6 months, no complications were seen. In our experience Laser lithotripsy with FREDDY is an effective, simple and reliable method for the treatment of ureteral stones, with low purchase and maintenance costs. The extremely thin and highly flexible quartz fibre may extend the endoscopic spectrum to otherwise poorly accessible upper ureteral stones, the renal pelvis and renal calix stones. Therefore, a prospective validation study for comparison with ballistic lithotriptors is of great interest.

In vitro comparison of standard ultrasound and pneumatic lithotrites with a new combination intracorporeal lithotripsy device

OBJECTIVES

A new combination intracorporeal lithotripter (Lithoclast Ultra) has been developed that incorporates the beneficial effects of pneumatic lithotripsy (rapid stone fragmentation) and ultrasound lithotripsy (rapid fragment removal). An in vitro study was performed to assess the efficiency of stone fragmentation and clearance of this new combination intracorporeal lithotripter compared with currently available ultrasound and pneumatic units.

METHODS

Pneumatic and ultrasound lithotrites, along with the combination pneumatic/ultrasound unit, were used through a rigid 27F nephroscope to fragment and remove phantom stones made of BegoForm. The mean fragment removal times and stone fragment sizes for the standard ultrasound and pneumatic devices were compared with the combination unit to determine the completeness and efficiency of stone fragmentation and removal.

RESULTS

The average time for stone clearance using the pneumatic and ultrasound devices was 23.8 and 12.9 minutes, respectively. The combination pneumatic/ultrasound unit was significantly more efficient, requiring only 7.4 minutes to completely fragment and clear all stone material (P <0.002). In addition, the average size of the 15 largest fragments removed was significantly less with the combination device than with the pneumatic and ultrasound lithotrites (1.67 mm versus 9.07 mm and 3.67 mm, respectively, P <0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of pneumatic and ultrasound capabilities in a newly developed lithotrite exhibited a significantly enhanced ability to fragment and clear phantom stones compared with standard ultrasound or pneumatic devices alone. These preliminary studies suggest that this combination pneumatic/ultrasound lithotripter may be an ideal device for the expeditious removal of large-volume renal or bladder calculi. Additional studies are warranted to better assess the capabilities of this new device in treating human stones of various compositions and its safety, as well as the optimal power and frequency settings.

Pneumatic lithotripsy versus laser lithotripsy in the endoscopic treatment of ureteral calculi

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy, safety, and features of pneumatic lithotripsy (PL) with those of laser lithotripsy (LL) and present our clinical experience in the endoscopic management of ureteral calculi.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From August 1994 to February 2000, 285 consecutive patients underwent endoscopic lithotripsy with either the Swiss Lithoclast pneumatic lithotripter (145 patients) or the Ho:YAG laser lithotripter (140 patients) for the treatment of ureteral calculi.

RESULTS

In one single session, the overall successful stone fragmentation rate of LL was higher than that of PL (95.7% v 69.7%; P < 0.01). The average time to stone-free status was shorter for LL than for PL (18 days v 31 days; P < 0.01). No major complications were observed in LL, while five ureteral perforations were encountered in PL.

CONCLUSIONS

Laser lithotripsy has advantages over PL in high efficiency of stone fragmentation and a low complication rate. Laser lithotripsy is a powerful, effective, and safe treatment modality for ureteral calculi.

Treatment of urinary calculi with ureteroscopy and Swiss lithoclast pneumatic lithotripter: report of 150 cases

PURPOSE

To present our clinic experience with the Swiss Lithoclast pneumatic lithotripter in the endoscopic management of urinary calculi.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From August 1994 to December 1997, 145 patients with ureteral calculi and 5 patients with urethral calculi were treated with the Swiss Lithoclast.

RESULTS

In the ureteral stone group, ureteroscopic addressing of the stones was successful in 133 patients. In 27 patients, the stones were partially fragmented and remained in situ or were pushed back to the calices. They were subsequently treated successfully with SWL. Stones were fragmented in a single session in 101 cases. Complications associated with the procedure included five perforations and four urinary tract infections. All of the five urethral stone patients were treated successfully with pneumatic lithotripsy. The overall successful fragmentation rate thus was 70.7% (106 of 150) and 88.7% (133 of 150) in combination with adjuvant SWL.

CONCLUSIONS

We have found Swiss Lithoclast pneumatic lithotripsy to be a safe, effective, and economical treatment method for urinary calculi. If combined with other modalities such as SWL, this treatment will be even more effective.