Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy: technologic advancements

  • Topic Paper
  • Published:
World Journal of Urology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy has evolved since the first reported cases employing rigid rod-lens endoscopes and stiff ultrasonic lithotrites. Fiber optics facilitated rigid endoscope miniaturization and the development of a steerable, deflectable flexible ureteroscopes. Over 30 years of technical innovations culminating in digital imagers and powerful, precise laser lithotrites, complimented by progressive endoscopic techniques have produced efficient endoscopic therapies with minimal morbidity and commonly performed in an outpatient setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Segura JW, Preminger GM, Assimos DG, Dretler SP, Kahn RI, Lingeman JE, Macaluso JN Jr, The American Urological Association (1997) Ureteral stones clinical guidelines panel summary report on the management of ureteral calculi. J Urol 158(5):1915–1921

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Grasso M (2000) Ureteropyeloscopic treatment of ureteral and intrarenal calculi. Urol Clin N Am 27:623–631

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sofer M, Waterson J, Wollin T, Nott L, Razvi H, Denstedt J (2002) Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy for upper urinary tract calculi in 598 patients. J Urol 167:31–34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Grasso M, Bagley DH (1994) A 7.5/8.2 French actively deflectable, flexible ureteroscope: a new device for both diagnostic and therapeutic upper urinary tract endoscopy. Urology 43:435–441

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Johnson GB, Grasso M (2004) Exaggerated primary endoscope deflection: initial clinical experience with prototypic flexible ureteroscopes: the first 115 procedures. BJU Int 93(1):109–114

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Lam JS, Greene TD, Gupta M (2002) Treatment of proximal ureteral calculi: holmium:YAG laser ureterolithotripsy versus extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. J Urol 167:1972–1976

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Erhard M, Salwen J, Bagley DH (1996) Ureteroscopic removal of mid and proximal ureteral calculi. J Urol 155:38

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Graff J, Pastor J, Funke PJ et al (1988) Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for ureteral stones: a retrospective analysis of 417 cases. J Urol 139:513

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cockett WS, Cockett ATK (1998) The hopkins rod-lens system and the storz cold light illumination system. Urology 51(Supplement 5A):1–2

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Bagley DH, Huffman JL, Lyon ES (1985) Flexible fiberoptic ureteropyeloscopy. In: Bagley DH, Huffman JL, Lyon ES (eds) Urologic endoscopy: a manual and atlas. Little, Brown, New York, pp 207–217

    Google Scholar 

  11. Baird JL (1927) British Patent Specification No. 20, 96927

  12. Hansell CW (1930) U.S. Patent No. 1,751,584, filed 1927

  13. Curtiss IE, Hirschowitz BI, Peters CW (1956) A long fiberscope for internal medical examination. J Opt Soc Am 46:1030

    Google Scholar 

  14. Gow JG (1998) Harold Hopkins and optical systems for urology- an appreciation. Urology 52:152–157

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hirchowitz BI, Curtiss IE, Peters CW, Pollard HM (1958) Demonstration of a new gastroscope, the “fiberscope”. Gastroenterology 35:50

    Google Scholar 

  16. Marshall VF (1964) Fiberoptics in urology. J Urol 91:100

    Google Scholar 

  17. Stoller ML, Wolf JS, Hofmann R, Marc B (1992) Ureteroscopy without routine balloon dilation: an outcome assessment. J Urol 147:1238

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Abdel-Razzak OM, Bagley DH (1993) The 6.9F semi-rigid ureteroscope in clinical use. Urology 41:45

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Bagley DH (1994) Ureteroscopic stone retrieval: rigid versus flexible endoscopes. Semin Urol 12:31

    Google Scholar 

  20. Grasso M (1996) Intracorporeal lithotripsy: ultrasonic, electrohydraulic, laser, and electromechanical, Chapter 10. In: Marshall FF (ed) Marshall’s textbook of operative urology. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 77–90

    Google Scholar 

  21. Tagaki T, Go T, Takayasu H, Aso Y (1968) A small caliber fiberscope for the visualization of the urinary tract, biliary tract, and spinal canal. Surgery 64:1033

    Google Scholar 

  22. Berci G (1976) Instrumentation: flexible fiber endoscopes. In: Berci G (ed) Endoscopy. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. Bagley DH, Huffman JL, Lyon ES (1983) Combined rigid and flexible ureteropyeloscopy. J Urol 130:243

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bagley DH, Huffman JL, Lyon ES (1987) Flexible ureteropyeloscopy: diagnosis and treatment in the upper urinary tract. J Urol 138:280

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Bagley DH (1993) Intrarenal access with flexible ureteropyeloscope: effects of active and passive tip deflection. J Endourol 7:221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Traxer O, Thomas A (2013) Prospective evaluation and classification of ureteral wall injuries resulting from insertion of a ureteral access sheath during retrograde intrarenal surgery. J Urol 189(2):580–584

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Cohen JH, Traxer O, Rao P, Desai M, Grasso M (2011) Small diameter, digital flexible ureteroscopy: initial experience. Videourology, Turin

    Google Scholar 

  28. White MD, Moran ME (1998) Fatigability of the latest generation ureteropyeloscopes. J Endourol 12:S182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Afane JS, Olweny EO, Bercowsky E (2000) Flexible ureteroscopes: a single center evaluation of the durability and function of the new ureteroscopes smaller than 9 Fr. J Urol 164:1164–1168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Traxer O, Dubosq F, Jamali K, Gattegno B, Thibault P (2006) New-generation flexible ureterorenoscopes are more durable than previous ones. Urology 68(2):276–279

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Parsons RL, Campbell JL, Thomley MW, Butt CG, Gordon TE (1966) The effect of the laser on dog bladders: a preliminary report. J Urol 95:716–717

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Mulvany WP, Beck CW (1968) The laser beam in urology. J Urol 99:112–115

    Google Scholar 

  33. Bhatta KM (1995) Lasers in urology. Lasers Surg Med 16(4):312–330

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Floratos DL, de la Rosette JJ (1999) Lasers in urology. BJU Int 84(2):204–211

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Watterson JD, Sofer M, Wollin TA, Nott L, Denstedt JD (2002) Holmium:YAG laser endoureterotomy for ureterointestinal strictures. J Urol 167(4):1692–1695

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Fried NM (2001) Potential applications of the erbium:YAG laser in endourology. J Endourol 15(9):889–894

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Dubosq F, Pasqui F, Girard F, Beley S, Lesaux N, Gattegno B et al (2006) Endoscopic lithotripsy and the FREDDY laser: initial experience. J Endourol 20(5):296–299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Grasso M (1996) Experience with the holmium laser as an endoscopic lithotrite. Urology 48(2):199–206

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Bagley DH, Schultz E, Conlin MJ (1998) Laser division of intraluminal sutures. J Endourol 12(4):355–357

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Wollin TA, Denstedt JD (1998) The holmium laser in urology. J Clin Laser Med Surg 16(1):13–20

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Grasso M, Conlin M, Bagley DH (1998) Retrograde ureteropyeloscopic treatment of 2 cm or greater upper urinary tract and minor staghorn calculi. J Urol 160(2):346–351

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Cohen J, Cohen S, Grasso M (2013) Ureteropyeloscopic treatment of large, complex intrarenal and proximal ureteral calculi. BJU Int 111(3):127–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. El-Anany FG, Hammouda HM, Maghraby HA, Elakkad MA (2001) Retrograde ureteropyeloscopic holmium laser lithotripsy for large renal calculi. BJU Int 88(9):850–853

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Ricchiuti DJ, Smaldone MC, Jacobs BL, Maldone AM, Jackman SV, Averch TD (2007) Staged retrograde endoscopic lithotripsy as alternative to PCNL in select patients with large renal calculi. J Endourol 21(12):1421–1424

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Breda A, Ogunyemi O, Leppert JT, Lam JS, Schulam PG (2008) Flexible ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy for single intrarental stones 2 cm or greater—is this the new frontier? J Urol 179(3):981–984

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Riley JM, Stearman L, Troxel S (2009) Retrograde ureteroscopy for renal stones larger than 2.5 cm. J Endourol 23(9):1395–1398

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Hyams ES, Munver R, Bird VG, Ueroi J, Shah O (2010) Flexible ureterorenoscopy and holmium laser lithotripsy for the management of renal stone burdens that measure 2 to 3 cm: a multi-institutional experience. J Endourol 24(10):1583–1588

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Takazawa R, Kitayama S, Tsujii T (2012) Successful outcome of flexible ureteroscopy with holmium laser lithotripsy for renal stones 2 cm or greater. Int J Urol 19(3):264–267

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Blute ML, Segura JW, Patterson DE (1988) Ureteroscopy. J Urol 139(3):510–512

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Abdel-Razzak OM, Bagley DH (1992) Clinical experience with flexible ureteropyeloscopy. J Urol 148(6):1788–1792

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Harmon WJ, Sershon PD, Blute ML et al (1997) Ureteroscopy: current practice and long-term complications. J Urol 157(1):28–32

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Jiang H, Wu Z, Ding Q, Zhang Y (2007) Ureteroscopic treatment of ureteral calculi with holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy. J Endourol 21(2):151–154

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

Dr. Michael Grasso serves as a consultant to Karl Storz Endoscopy.

Disclosure

Dr. Michael Grasso serves as a consultant to Karl Storz Endoscopy.

Ethical standard

The manuscript does not contain clinical studies or patient data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA

    B. Alexander, A. I. Fishman & M. Grasso

Authors
  1. B. Alexander
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. I. Fishman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Grasso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. I. Fishman.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Alexander, B., Fishman, A.I. & Grasso, M. Ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy: technologic advancements. World J Urol 33, 247–256 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-014-1402-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-014-1402-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation