title: Long-term efficacy of holmium laser endoureterotomy for benign ureteral strictures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the long-term clinical and radiographic success of holmium laser endoureterotomy for nonobliterative benign ureteral strictures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 19 patients (12 women and 7 men, mean age 47.5 years) underwent holmium laser endoureterotomy for iatrogenic ureteral strictures (seven proximal, seven mid, and five distal) using semirigid ureteroscopy and a 360-microm fiber at 1 J and 10 Hz.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Success was strictly defined as both relief of symptoms and radiographic resolution of obstruction by intravenous pyelography or diuretic renography, or both. With a median follow-up of 3.0 years, success was achieved in 13 (68.4%) of 19 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results have shown that holmium laser endoureterotomy is associated with a long-term success rate equivalent to, or better than, other currently available minimally invasive treatment options. Also, failure was uniformly evident within the first 3 months after treatment.
authors.affiliation: Glickman Urological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Mihir M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.forename: Stevan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Streem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014515:Ureteral Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D018666:Ureteroscopy