title: Amplatz sheath for cystolithotripsy using Ho: YAG laser in female patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of cystoscopic lithotripsy, we performed Amplatz sheath technique using Ho: YAG laser. Maheshwari first reported the use of an Amplatz sheath in the female urethra in 1998, and Okeke et al reported the use of an Amplatz sheath for male patients during cystolithotripsy in 2004. The usefulness of the holmium (Ho): yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser lithotripsy is widely accepted, even for large bladder calculi. Since then, there have been no more reports of using the sheath with an Ho: YAG laser.
  
  
  METHODS
  We inserted the Amplatz sheath conversely. Because of the clear visualization, we used higher laser settings with 2.5 J × 15 to 20 Hz.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We experienced 3 female patients that were successfully treated with the Amplatz sheath technique using Ho: YAG laser lithotripsy. In these 3 patients, whose stone burdens were 4.5, 3.8, and 4.3 cm, they were able to successfully become stone-free with surgeries of 74 minutes, 67 minutes, and 58 minutes, respectively, with no complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We experienced 3 female patients that were successfully treated with the Amplatz sheath technique using Ho: YAG laser lithotripsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ohguchi Higashi General Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. takashi_tk2001@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawahara
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terao
authors.forename: Yoshitake
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Hiroji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
mesh_terms: D003558:Cystoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017602:Lithotripsy, Laser / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001744:Urinary Bladder Calculi / Q000628:therapy*