Vasileios Gkolezakis1, Patrick Rice2, Bhaskar Kumar Somani2, Theodoros Tokas3,4. 1. Department of Urology, Athens Medical Centre, Athens, Greece. 2. Department of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK. 3. Department of Urology and Andrology, General Hospital Hall i.T., Hall in Tirol, Austria. ttokas@yahoo.com. 4. Training and Research in Urological Surgery and Technology (T.R.U.S.T.)-Group, Hall in Tirol, Austria. ttokas@yahoo.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To present the latest evidence on thulium fiber laser (TFL) effects on tissue, during lithotripsy and ablation, emphasizing on generated temperatures, thermal damage thresholds, incision depths, areas of coagulation, and laser damage. RECENT FINDINGS: Lasers are frequently utilized during endoscopic treatment of different urological conditions. The holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) is most frequently used for various types of stones and soft tissue. The TFL has been recently introduced, offering several advantages. However, its activity on tissue during upper and lower tract endourology is poorly understood. At equivalent power settings, TFL and Ho:YAG generate similar temperature changes during lithotripsy. TFL has a shallow incision depth during tissue ablation. Compared to SP TFL, (cw) TFL results in a broader coagulation zone, whereas SP TFL gives of Ho:YAG-similar incision, and (cw) TFL offers a quick, precise cut with more carbonization.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To present the latest evidence on thulium fiber laser (TFL) effects on tissue, during lithotripsy and ablation, emphasizing on generated temperatures, thermal damage thresholds, incision depths, areas of coagulation, and laser damage. RECENT FINDINGS: Lasers are frequently utilized during endoscopic treatment of different urological conditions. The holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) is most frequently used for various types of stones and soft tissue. The TFL has been recently introduced, offering several advantages. However, its activity on tissue during upper and lower tract endourology is poorly understood. At equivalent power settings, TFL and Ho:YAG generate similar temperature changes during lithotripsy. TFL has a shallow incision depth during tissue ablation. Compared to SP TFL, (cw) TFL results in a broader coagulation zone, whereas SP TFL gives of Ho:YAG-similar incision, and (cw) TFL offers a quick, precise cut with more carbonization.
Authors: Thomas R W Herrmann; Evangelos N Liatsikos; Udo Nagele; Olivier Traxer; Axel S Merseburger Journal: Eur Urol Date: 2012-01-17 Impact factor: 20.096
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