Flexible Digital Ureteroscopic Laser Lithotripsy:
Treatment of kidney stones (kidney stone) is done using modern flexible digital ureteroscopes without incision and bleeding. Under direct vision with the use of a particularly thin tool and the use of a high-resolution camera, the modern endourologist approaches the stone without an incision bloodlessly through the bladder. Stones up to 2 cm can be effectively treated using the High Power Laser without the need for additional surgery.
The stone is fragmented using the High Power Laser, where the goal is to turn the stone into powder and, as far as possible, to leave no fragments. The modern specialized endourologist is well versed in the use of the Laser; depending on the composition (hard-soft ureteral stone), the position, and the size of the stone, he alternates the settings of the Laser in order to achieve either Dusting or Fragmentation ), or Pop Corn (simultaneous pulverization and agglomeration technique) of the stones with the ultimate goal of the patient being completely free of the lithic load.
The tool is atraumatic, with dimensions of a few millimeters, while the endourologist uses the laser to make the patient free of lithiasis while preserving the patient’s ureter and kidney.
The patient, in the majority of cases, can be discharged the same evening and return to work immediately.
This operation requires special modern minimally invasive equipment as well as High Power Laser that only structured lithiasis clinics have.
Semi-rigid ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy:
Ureteral stones are treated (stone in the tube that drains urine from the kidney) using modern ureteroscopes without incision and bleeding. These modern tools have a special high-resolution camera so that under direct vision the modern Urologist can approach the stone without an incision bloodlessly through the bladder.
The stone is then fragmented using the High Power Laser, and the goal is to turn the stone into powder. The modern specialized endourologist is well versed in the use of the Laser; depending on the composition (hard-soft ureteral stone), the position, and the size of the stone, he alternates the settings of the Laser in order to achieve either Dusting or Fragmentation ), or Pop Corn (simultaneous pulverization and agglomeration technique) of the stones with the ultimate goal of the patient being completely free of the lithic load.
The tool is small and non-traumatic, while the specialized endourologist, with the use of the Laser, makes the patient free of lithiasis while preserving the ureter and the patient’s urinary system.
The patient, in the majority of cases, can be discharged the same evening and return to work immediately.
This operation requires special modern minimally invasive equipment as well as a power Laser that only structured lithiasis clinics have.
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