Holmium: YAG laser rescue for a stuck stone basket.

A 35-year-old man with left lower ureteric stone underwent ureteroscopic stone removal. Holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy was used to break the stone and to remove a larger fragment a 3 Fr. steel wire stone basket was introduced through the ureteroscope. However, during removal the basket with the stone became impacted in the intramural part of the ureter. All attempts to dislodge the stone and the basket failed. Laser fiber was introduced through the second channel of the ureteroscope bridge and the laser activated at settings of 0.5J and 10Hz. Pulverization of the stone did not free the basket and hence 2 wires of the stuck basket were cut with the laser. This enabled the basket to be freed and easily removed.