Ho:YAG Laser, Thulium Laser Fiber Both Effective for Stone Management

No significant difference seen for ureteroscopy time or in stone-free rate or complication rates

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 18, 2023 (HealthDay News) — For ureteroscopic stone management, there is no significant difference between pulse-modulated holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) laser and thulium laser fiber, according to a study published in the February issue of The Journal of Urology.

Christopher R. Haas, M.D., from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and colleagues compared the clinical effectiveness of pulse-modulated Ho:YAG laser and thulium laser fiber for ureteroscopic stone management. A total of 108 patients were randomly assigned (52 to Ho:YAG and 56 to thulium laser fiber) and had primary end point data available.

The researchers observed no significant difference between the modalities in ureteroscopy time (mean 21.4 and 19.9 minutes for Ho:YAG and thulium laser fiber, respectively) or in analyses within subgroups by stone size, median Hounsfield units, or stone location. No significant differences were seen between the lasers in the stone-free rate or complication rates.

“This randomized clinical trial suggests no significant clinical advantage of one laser technology over the other,” the authors write. “As both laser technologies are safe and highly effective, surgeon and institutional preference is the best approach when selecting one or the other.”

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