Comparative Study between Pneumatic and Holmium Laser Lithotripsy in Treatment of Ureteric Stones

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy & safety of holmium laser and pneumatic lithotripsy used in the ureteroscopic treatment of ureteral stones. Materials and Methods A prospective randomized clinical study was done using the data of patients to whom ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URL) was applied for ureter stones in our clinic. Then these patients were separated into 2 groups according to the type of lithotriptor used in stone fragmentation as laser lithotripsy (Group 1) and pneumatic lithotripsy (Group 2). Results Statistically, the two groups were similar in respect of the number of stones, stone burden and the number of double J stents applied intra-operatively. Mean operating time was calculated as 62.9 (±7.69) minutes in Group 1 and 50.98 (±6.63) minutes in Group 2. The mean operating time was found to be higher in group 1 than group 2 (P = 0.000). On postoperative day 1 after the URL, the SFR of Group 1 79.0% found to be significantly high compared to the SFR of Group 2 (64.0%) (P = 0.019), while at postoperative month 1, the SFR of both groups (Group 1 84%, Group 2 80%) was found to be similar (P = 0.462). Conclusions Compared to the pneumatic lithotripter, the Ho: YAG laser seems to have a statistically significant higher SFR in the early postoperative period (1 day), even though there are statistically insignificant success rate (after 1 month) and complications (hematuria, mucosa injury, stone migration, stricture and perforation avulsion).