Title: Lasers in the management of calcified urinary tract stents
Abstract: Indwelling double J ureteral stents are used for internal urinary diversion for ureteral obstruction and post-surgical drainage of the upper urinary tract. Stent calcification is a serious complication especially in those with forgotten stents. In a retrospective review of 16 patients (10 male and 6 female) we found holmium laser to be highly effective in the management of calcified stents. Encrustations/calcifications were noted on the distal end of the sent in 6 patiens (37.5%), middle and distal portions in 2 patients (12.5%), along the entire length of the stent in 3 patients (18.75%), lower portion of the stent in 4 patients (25%) and at the upper and lower ends of the stent in one patient (6.25%). Cystolitholapaxy, retrograde ureteroscopy (URS) with holmium: YAG (yttrium-aluminum-garnet) laser intracorporeal lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PNL) and antegrade URS with holmium: YAG laser intracorporeal lithotripsy were effectively performed without intraoperative complications. Lithotripsy became necessary before stent removal in 11 patients (68.75%). Holmium laser lithotripsy was useful in managing 7 patients (43.75%), and shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) in 6 patients (37.5%). In two patients (12.5%) both holmium and SWL were used before the stent can be removed.
Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-06-27
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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