TY - JOUR
T1 - A miniaturized, 1.9F integrated optical fiber and stone basket for use in thulium fiber laser lithotripsy
AU - Wilson, Christopher R.
AU - Hutchens, Thomas C.
AU - Hardy, Luke A.
AU - Irby, Pierce B.
AU - Fried, Nathaniel M.
PY - 2015/10/1
Y1 - 2015/10/1
N2 - The thulium fiber laser (TFL) is being explored as an alternative laser lithotripter to the standard holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. The more uniform beam profile of the TFL enables higher power transmission through smaller fibers. In this study, a 100-μm core, 140-μm outer-diameter (OD) silica fiber with 5-mm length hollow steel tip was integrated with 1.3F (0.433-mm OD) nitinol wire basket to form a 1.9F (0.633-mm OD) device. TFL energy of 30mJ, 500μs pulse duration, and 500Hz pulse rate was delivered to human uric acid stones, ex vivo. Stone ablation rates measured 1.5±0.2mg/s, comparable to 1.7±0.3mg/s using bare fiber tips separately with stone basket. With further development, this device may minimize stone retropulsion, allowing more efficient TFL lithotripsy at higher pulse rates. It may also provide increased flexibility, higher saline irrigation rates through the ureteroscope working channel, reduce fiber degradation compared with separate fiber and basket manipulation, and reduce laser-induced nitinol wire damage.
AB - The thulium fiber laser (TFL) is being explored as an alternative laser lithotripter to the standard holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. The more uniform beam profile of the TFL enables higher power transmission through smaller fibers. In this study, a 100-μm core, 140-μm outer-diameter (OD) silica fiber with 5-mm length hollow steel tip was integrated with 1.3F (0.433-mm OD) nitinol wire basket to form a 1.9F (0.633-mm OD) device. TFL energy of 30mJ, 500μs pulse duration, and 500Hz pulse rate was delivered to human uric acid stones, ex vivo. Stone ablation rates measured 1.5±0.2mg/s, comparable to 1.7±0.3mg/s using bare fiber tips separately with stone basket. With further development, this device may minimize stone retropulsion, allowing more efficient TFL lithotripsy at higher pulse rates. It may also provide increased flexibility, higher saline irrigation rates through the ureteroscope working channel, reduce fiber degradation compared with separate fiber and basket manipulation, and reduce laser-induced nitinol wire damage.
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U2 - 10.1089/end.2015.0124
DO - 10.1089/end.2015.0124
M3 - Article
C2 - 26167738
AN - SCOPUS:84943745531
SN - 0892-7790
VL - 29
SP - 1110
EP - 1114
JO - Journal of Endourology
JF - Journal of Endourology
IS - 10
ER -