SuperPulsed Thulium Fiber Laser Beneficial for Pediatric Urolithiasis

TUESDAY, June 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For pediatric patients undergoing ureteroscopy, the SuperPulsed thulium fiber laser (SPTF) is associated with a higher stone-free rate, with no increase in operative time or complications compared with the low-power holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) laser, according to a study published online June 15 in The Journal of Urology.

Christopher Jaeger, M.D., from Boston Children's Hospital, and colleagues conducted a retrospective, consecutive cohort study of unilateral ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy performed in pediatric patients from 2016 to 2021. Thirty-day complications and stone-free status were analyzed. A total of 125 cases were performed in 109 pediatric patients: 93 and 32 with the Ho:YAG and SPTF, respectively

The researchers found that the overall stone-free rate was 62 percent: 70 and 59 percent with the SPTF and Ho:YAG, respectively. Compared with the Ho:YAG, the odds of having a residual stone fragment were significantly lower with the SPTF (odds ratio, 0.39). No significant difference was observed in operative time. There were seven and 19 (25 and 22 percent) complications with the SPTF and Ho:YAG, respectively.

"The SPTF laser using thulium fiber laser technology is an effective alternative to the low-power Ho:YAG laser for treatment of urolithiasis in pediatric patients," the authors write. "Further studies are needed to determine optimal SPTF settings and to compare it to high-power Ho:YAG lasers."

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