The application of novel technology and innovative surgical techniques has contributed greatly to the advance of endourology over the past two decades. Key developments include endoscopic access to the urinary tract and advances in intra- and extra-corporeal stone fragmentation techniques. Of these techniques, laser technology has also been applied to other branches of urology including prostate surgery, ablation of urothelial tumors, and treating urinary strictures. The safe introduction of this potentially hazardous technology has required defining stringent safety guidelines, which encompass protection of both the patient and the user. In this chapter, physics of laser is discussed, along with the review of its application in treating stones.
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DasGupta, R., Hegarty, N. (2010). Lasers and Urinary Calculi. In: Dasgupta, P., Fitzpatrick, J., Kirby, R., Gill, I.S. (eds) New Technologies in Urology. New Techniques in Surgery Series, vol 7. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-178-1_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-178-1_9
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