Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Nov;41(11):3367-3376.
doi: 10.1007/s00345-023-04632-4. Epub 2023 Oct 1.

Experts' recommendations in laser use for the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a comprehensive guide by the European Section of Uro-Technology (ESUT) and Training Research in Urological Surgery and Technology (T.R.U.S.T.) group

Affiliations

Experts' recommendations in laser use for the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a comprehensive guide by the European Section of Uro-Technology (ESUT) and Training Research in Urological Surgery and Technology (T.R.U.S.T.) group

Gernot Ortner et al. World J Urol. 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Purpose: To highlight and compare experts' laser settings during endoscopic laser treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), to identify measures to reduce complications, and to propose guidance for endourologists.

Methods: Following a focused literature search to identify relevant questions, a survey was sent to laser experts. We asked participants for typical settings during specific scenarios (ureteroscopy (URS), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), and percutaneous treatment). These settings were compared among the reported laser types to find common settings and limits. Additionally, we identified preventive measures commonly applied during surgery.

Results: Twenty experts completed the survey, needing a mean time of 12.7 min. Overall, most common laser type was Holmium-Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet (Ho:YAG) (70%, 14/20) followed by Thulium fiber laser (TFL) (45%, 9/20), pulsed Thulium-Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet (Tm:YAG) (3/20, 15%), and continuous wave (cw)Tm:YAG (1/20, 5%). Pulse energy for the treatment of distal ureteral tumors was significantly different with median settings of 0.9 J, 1 J and 0.45 J for Ho:YAG, TFL and pulsed Tm:YAG, respectively (p = 0.048). During URS and RIRS, pulse shapes were significantly different, with Ho:YAG being used in long pulse and TFL in short pulse mode (all p < 0.05). We did not find further disparities.

Conclusion: Ho:YAG is used by most experts, while TFL is the most promising alternative. Laser settings largely do not vary significantly. However, further research with novel lasers is necessary to define the optimal approach. With the recent introduction of small caliber and more flexible scopes, minimal-invasive UTUC treatment is further undergoing an extension of applicability in appropriately selected patients.

Keywords: Laser; Percutaneous; RIRS; URS; UTUC; Urothelial cancer.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Rouprêt M, Babjuk M, Burger M, Capoun O, Cohen D, Compérat EM et al (2021) European Association of Urology guidelines on upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: 2020 update. Eur Urol 79(1):62–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2020.05.042 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Baard J, Freund JE, de la Rosette JJ, Laguna MP (2017) New technologies for upper tract urothelial carcinoma management. Curr Opin Urol 27(2):170–175. https://doi.org/10.1097/mou.0000000000000373 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Jung H, Giusti G, Fajkovic H, Herrmann T, Jones R, Straub M et al (2019) Consultation on UTUC, Stockholm 2018: aspects of treatment. World J Urol 37(11):2279–2287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-019-02811-w - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Villa L, Haddad M, Capitanio U, Somani BK, Cloutier J, Doizi S et al (2018) Which patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma can be safely treated with flexible ureteroscopy with holmium: YAG laser photoablation? Long-term results from a high volume institution. J Urol 199(1):66–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2017.07.088 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sanguedolce F, Fontana M, Turco M, Territo A, Lucena JB, Cortez JC et al (2021) Endoscopic management of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: oncologic outcomes and prognostic factors in a contemporary cohort. J Endourol 35(11):1593–1600. https://doi.org/10.1089/end.2021.0133 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources