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The following is a summary of “Concomitant catheter drainage alleviates the thermal effect of holmium lasers during ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a retrospective cohort study,” published in the April 2025 issue of BMC Urology by Ai et al. 

Thermal control is crucial to prevent ureter thermal injury during laser lithotripsy. Recent studies have explored the use of a ureter catheter for irrigation drainage to manage temperature changes. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the thermal control effect of ureter catheter drainage in ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy.  

They included patients who underwent ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy at the center from September 2022 to June 2024. Patients were divided into a drainage group and a conventional group based on whether a ureter catheter was used. Temperature was measured with a K-type thermocouple thermometer. Lithotripsy was performed with an irrigation pressure setting of 30 mmHg and a laser setting of 1.0 J × 20 Hz. Intraoperative and follow-up data were compared between the groups. 

The results showed that 67 patients were included, with 32 in the drainage group and 35 in the conventional group. lgCEM₄₃ and peak temperature of irrigation were significantly lower in the drainage group. The longest continuous lasing time was longer, and the operation time was shorter in the drainage group. Endoscopic vision quality was significantly improved in the drainage group. No significant difference was found in the post-ureteroscopic lesion scale score or 1-month stone-free rate. At the 6-month follow-up, no postoperative ureter stricture was observed in either group. 

Investigators found that the thermal control strategy was safe and feasible. It significantly reduced intraoperative irrigation temperature and improved endoscopic vision in ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy. 

Source: bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-025-01793-9