title: Correlation between the operation time using two different power settings of a Ho: YAG laser: laser power doesn't influence lithotripsy time.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated the correlation between the operation time using two different power settings of a Ho: YAG laser.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 68 patients underwent cystolithotripsy from April 2010 to October 2011 In Fifty-six of these patients underwent cystolithotripsy by one surgeon using a Ho: YAG laser for bladder calculi. This study assessed these patients in two groups; the 30 W laser generator group with the settings of 2.5 J x 5 Hz (30 W group) and the 100 W laser generator group as the settings of 3.5 J x 5 Hz (100 W group). The operation time in these two groups were assessed.A total of 56 patients including 45 male and 11 female patients that underwent cystolithotripsy using a Ho: YAG laser for bladder calculi by one surgeon were enrolled in this study. The patients' characteristics including age (mean; 68.8 vs 68.4 yr), gender (male; 74.2 vs 88.0%), stone burden (mean; 34.9 vs 41.3 mm), number of stones (mean; 3.2 vs 2.0) and stone's CT density (mean; 981.5 vs 902.0 HU) showed no significant differences. All patients were stone free following treatment. The median total length of the operation was 19 minutes (mean: 34.6 ± 36.1) in the 30 W group and 29 minutes (mean: 44.4 ± 38.8) in the 100 W group, which was not significantly different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that the power settings of Ho: YAG laser show no differences in the operation time for bladder calculi lithotripsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ohguchi Higashi General Hospital, 2-19-1, Irie, Kanagawa-ku, 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: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
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: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D001744:Urinary Bladder Calculi / Q000628:therapy*