The treatment of large kidney stones over 2 cm coral stones (stones occupying the kidney) or stones in the lower calyx that cannot be reached with the flexible ureteroscope is done with the minimally invasive technique of Ultra Mini Laser Percutaneous Lithotripsy. Through a small hole (<1cm), the modern endourologist enters the kidney, and with the use of the modern mini nephroscope under direct vision, he approaches the stone and, with the use of the modern, powerful High Power Laser, fragments the stone into pieces that leave the patient’s body from the small hole.
The Ultra mini percutaneous is an impressive evolution of the classic percutaneous but with a much smaller hole compared to the classic technique in a minimally invasive way. With the use of small tools and the High Power Laser, the stone is fragmented. The old technique is an effective technique; however, it is quite traumatic and bleeding compared to the ultra mini, where the hole is less than 0,5 cm.
The tool is atraumatic with dimensions of a few millimeters, while the endourologist using the Laser makes the patient free of lithiasis while preserving the patient’s kidney.
The patient, in the majority of cases, can be discharged the next day and immediately return to his activity.
The goal during this operation is to fragment the stone, preserve the urinary tract, and take a stone sample for its chemical analysis and further specialized treatment by the lithiasis team based on its recommendation.
Dr. Ioannis S. Katafugiotis MD, PhD, FEBU, FECSM
SURGEON UROLOGY-ANDROLOGIST
Doctor of the University of Athens
Fellow of the European Board of Urology
Fellow of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine
Retrained at Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
Retrained at Hadassah Medical Center, Israel
Graduate of the American Society of Endourology