Effect of pulse duration on microsecond-domain laser lithotripsy.
The pulsed dye laser (wavelength 504 nm, pulse duration 1 microsecond) is widely used for fragmenting urinary and biliary calculi. In this study, the performance of this laser was compared with pulsed dye lasers producing pulse durations of 8 and 20 microseconds. Fragmentation thresholds and fragmentation rates were measured using a variety of urinary and biliary calculi. Effective fragmentation of urinary and biliary calculi was obtained with 1-microsecond and 8-microseconds pulse durations, but satisfactory fragmentation could not be achieved at 20 microseconds.
Bhatta
K M
KM
Urological Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Nishioka
N S
NS
D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000628:therapy*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D014545:Urinary Calculi / Q000628:therapy*
D004396:Coloring Agents