Laser-Assisted Urological Procedures for Stone Removal and Prostate Treatment
This community focuses on the clinical application of laser technology and shock wave therapy to treat urinary tract conditions, specifically the fragmentation of kidney and ureteral stones and the surgical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The research centers on comparing the efficacy and safety of different laser platforms, with a heavy emphasis on Holmium:YAG and Thulium fiber lasers. Key procedures include laser lithotripsy for renal and ureteral stones, often performed via flexible ureteroscopy or retrograde intrarenal surgery, and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) for bladder outlet obstruction. The literature frequently contrasts these minimally invasive laser techniques against traditional methods such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, and transurethral resection of the prostate. A significant portion of the work consists of systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and prospective clinical trials evaluating patient outcomes, complication rates, and stone-free status following these interventions.
The largest share of the community's output is found in holmium research, accounting for 45.2% of all holmium research, and 2,767 papers here. Thulium research also features prominently, representing 21.3% of all thulium research, with 1,169 papers in this group.
The community comprises 6,688 papers, published primarily in the Journal of Endourology, World Journal of Urology, and Urology. Recent work continues to focus on head-to-head comparisons of Holmium:YAG and Thulium fiber lasers for stone fragmentation, alongside studies on the use of flexible and navigable ureteral access sheaths to improve surgical access and outcomes.
Papers behind this description
- Could Use of a Flexible and Navigable Suction Ureteral Access Sheath Be a Potential Game-changer in Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery? Outcomes at 30 Days from a Large, Prospective, Multicenter, Real-world Study by the European Association of Urology Urolithiasis Section — European Urology Focus, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.euf.2024.05.010
- Summary Paper on the 2023 European Association of Urology Guidelines on the Management of Non-neurogenic Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms — European Urology, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2023.04.008
- Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men — JAMA, 2025 — doi:10.1001/jama.2025.7045
- Thulium Fibre Laser versus Holmium:YAG for Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy: Outcomes from a Prospective Randomised Clinical Trial — European Urology, 2022 — doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2022.02.027
- Thulium Fiber Laser Versus Holmium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet for Lithotripsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis — European Urology, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2024.01.011
- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) or retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for kidney stones — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023 — doi:10.1002/14651858.cd007044.pub4
- A Feasibility Study on Clinical Utility, Efficacy and Limitations of 2 Types of Flexible and Navigable Suction Ureteral Access Sheaths in Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery for Renal Stones — Urology, 2023 — doi:10.1016/j.urology.2023.05.032
- Endoscopic management of common bile duct stones: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) guideline — Endoscopy, 2019 — doi:10.1055/a-0862-0346
- Recent advances in the treatment of renal stones using flexible ureteroscopys — International Journal of Surgery, 2024 — doi:10.1097/js9.0000000000001345
- Is flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS-UAS) the next best development for retrograde intrarenal surgery in children? Results of a prospective multicentre study — World Journal of Urology, 2024 — doi:10.1007/s00345-024-05337-y
- Comparison of Thulium Fiber Laser versus Holmium laser in ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a Meta-analysis and systematic review — BMC Urology, 2024 — doi:10.1186/s12894-024-01419-6
- Bladder Outlet Obstruction Relief and Symptom Improvement Following Medical and Surgical Therapies for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Suggestive of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Systematic Review — European Urology, 2024 — doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2024.04.031
- Clonorchis sinensis infection are associated with calcium phosphate gallbladder stones: A single-center retrospective observational study in China — Medicine, 2025 — doi:10.1097/md.0000000000045739
- Magneto Ho:YAG laser versus Thulium Fiber Laser for laser lithotripsy during flexible ureteroscopy with a flexible and navigable ureteral access sheath — International Urology and Nephrology, 2025 — doi:10.1007/s11255-025-04819-1
- Management and Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Symptoms: Current Insights — Research and Reports in Urology, 2025 — doi:10.2147/rru.s510367
- Clinical validation of an AI-assisted system for real-time kidney stone detection during flexible ureteroscopic surgery — npj Digital Medicine, 2025 — doi:10.1038/s41746-025-02109-9
- Radiomics application using non-contrast computed tomography for predicting uric acid kidney stones — BMC Medical Imaging, 2025 — doi:10.1186/s12880-025-01965-x
- Incidence of urinary infections and urosepsis after ureteroscopy for stone disease: a systematic review of literature — Therapeutic Advances in Urology, 2026 — doi:10.1177/17562872251412050