title: Comparison of pneumatic and laser lithotripsy in the treatment of pediatric ureteral stones.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness and safety of pneumatic and holmium:YAG laser lithotripters in the treatment of pediatric ureterolithiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of patients treated using pneumatic (PL) (n = 29) or laser (LL) (n = 35) lithotripter between 2009 and 2011 were retrospectively analysed. The patients were evaluated with respect to age, gender, stone size, complications, and stone-free rates 1 month after the operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the PL and LL groups, mean ages (8.8 ± 3.4 and 8.3 ± 3.5 years), male/female ratios (19:10 and 22:13) and stone locations were similar (p > 0.05). Mean stone sizes were 55.6 mm2 and 47.6 mm2 in the PL and LL group, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.850). Mean operative times were 20.5 min in the PL group and 25.2 min in the LL group, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.020). Stone-free rates 1 month after intervention were 79% in the PL group and 97% in the LL group (p = 0.022). Stone migration was detected in the PL group (n = 6) and in the LL group (n = 1). No major complication was found in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the ureteroscopic treatment of pediatric ureterolithiasis, both pneumatic and laser lithotripters are effective and successful. However, laser lithotripsy has a higher stone-free rate and lower complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Dicle University School of Medicine, Department of Urology, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey. atarsmail@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.forename: Mehmet Nuri
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Bodakci
authors.forename: Ahmet Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sancaktutar
authors.forename: Necmettin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Penbegul
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soylemez
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.forename: Namik Kemal
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Hatipoglu
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cakmakci
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser; D008297:Male; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D018666:Ureteroscopy