title: [Comparison of low-power laser and ultrasound litotripsy in the management of middle-distal ureteral stones].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the success rates and complications of ultrasound and low-power Holmium laser-assisted ureteroscopy (URS) in managing middle-distal ureteral stones.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the records of 90 patients with middle-distal ureteral stones who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy at our institution from May 2006 to April 2010. 45 patients were treated with ultrasound (mean size 6.7 mm), 45 patients with low-power Holmium laser (mean size 7.4 mm). The same ureteroscope (9.5/8ch rigid-Storz) was used to treat all the patients. Patients were monitored before the hospital discharge with abdominal radiograph and ultrasonography, and as outpatients after 3 months with abdominal radiograph, ultrasonography and urography in selected cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained a complete immediate fragmentation of stones in 27/45 (60%) patients with ultrasound, and in 36/45 (80%) patients after laser treatment. A proximal migration of stones was observed in 12/45 (26.8%) patients with ultrasound and 3/45 (6.6) with laser. We observed a ureteral perforation after laser treatment and no patient developed urosepsis. 6/45 (13.3%) patients who were treated with ultrasound underwent auxiliary therapy such as alkalizing therapy, 9/45 (20%) patients a second ureteroscopy, 9/45 (20%) a shockwave lithotripsy. No patient underwent an auxiliary shockwave treatment after laser, 6/45 (13.4%) patients underwent a second ureteroscopy. Operating time (20.33 vs 28.85 minutes) and hospitalization (3.6 vs 5.1 days) were shorter with laser if compared with ultrasound treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study the fragmentation rates of Holmium laser-assisted ureteroscopy were significantly better than with ultrasound in the middle-distal ureteral stones management. We did not have relevant complications using both procedures, and the need for auxiliary procedures was significantly less for Holmium laser-assisted ureteroscopy when compared with ultrasound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Poliambulanza Foundation, Brescia, Italy. robros72@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teppa
authors.forename: Gerolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: Vito Angelo
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Aulenti
authors.forename: Farshid Kalantary
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Rad
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosana
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*