Defining Thermally Safe Laser Lithotripsy Power and Irrigation Parameters: In Vitro Model.

Introduction: High-power laser settings are commonly employed for stone dusting techniques. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that a toxic thermal dose can result from treatment within a renal calix without adequate irrigation. Hence, both laser power and irrigation rate must be considered together to determine safe laser lithotripsy parameters. The objective of this in vitro study was to map parameter safety boundaries and create guidelines for selection of safe laser and irrigation settings. Methods: The experimental system consisted of in vitro models simulating ureter, renal calix, and renal pelvis placed in a water bath maintained at 37°C. Temperature was recorded during ureteroscopy with laser activation for 60 seconds. Trials were conducted at strategically selected power levels and irrigation rates. Thermal dose for each trial was calculated based on Sapareto and Dewey t43 methodology with thermal dose >120 equivalent minutes considered to result in thermal tissue injury. A parameter safety boundary was established by plotting the maximal safe power level for each irrigation rate. Results: The parameter safety boundary was found to be linear for each scenario with the renal pelvis able to tolerate the highest laser power and the renal calix the least power without injury. Conclusion: This study describes the methodology to determine parameter safety boundaries that can be used to guide proper selection of thermally safe laser settings and irrigation rates during ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy. This work provides a framework to assess the effectiveness of various strategies to control and mitigate thermal dose.

Holmium-YAG laser: impact of pulse energy and frequency on local fluid temperature in an in-vitro obstructed kidney calyx model.

During laser lithotripsy, energy is transmitted to both the stone and the surrounding fluid. As the energy is delivered, the temperature will rise. Temperatures ≥60 ° C can cause protein denaturation. The objective of this study is to determine the time it takes from body temperature (37°C) to 60°C at various laser power settings. A Flexiva TracTip 200 optical fiber was submerged alongside a negative temperature coefficient-type thermistor in 4 mL of saline in a glass test tube. A Lumenis VersaPulse Powersuite 100-W holmium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser was activated at 0.2- to 1.5-J pulse energies, 6- to 50-Hz frequencies, and 2- to 22.5-W average power. Temperature readings were recorded every second from 37°C until 60°C. Time and heating rate were measured. The procedure was repeated three times for each setting. Average time from 37°C to 60°C for settings (1) 0.2 J/50 Hz, (2) 0.6 J/6 Hz, (3) 1 J/10 Hz, and (4) 1.5 J/10 Hz was 60.3, 172.7, 58, and 43.3 s, respectively. Time from 37°C to 60°C decreased as frequency increased for every given pulse energy. Average heating rate increased proportionally to power from 0.06°C/s at 2 W to 0.74°C/s at 22.5 W. During laser lithotripsy, there is a rapid increase in the temperature of its surrounding fluid and temperatures ≥60 ° C may be reached. This could have local tissue effects and some caution with higher power settings should be employed especially where irrigation is limited. Further studies incorporating irrigation and live tissue models may aid to further define the risks.