LASERS
MULTIPULSE Ho(Holmium) 35 W
MultiPulse Ho is a surgical holmium laser dedicated to applications in endourology with a max power of 35W. MultiPulse Ho is the go-to device for endosurgical lithotripsy for the treatment of urinary tract stones(in ureteroscopy, ureterorenoscopy and for the percutaneous nephrolithotomy technique), common bile duct stones and salivary stones (also called sialolithiasis).
Laser Lithotripsy
The MultiPulse Ho holmium laser is a perfect lithotripter optimized for pulverization and fragmentation of ureteral, bladder and kidney stones. Effective for the treatment of all types and chemical stones composition, it today represents the optimal solution even for those particularly difficult to reach. Moreover its higher power of 35 W allows this system to manage large calculi with efficient and faster surgeries.
Lithotripsy with MultiPulse Ho is an excellent alternative to the traditional ESWL (Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy), as it involves less risk of complications and a higher degree of efficiency and safety, regardless of the stones type to be treated. Compared to other surgical procedures, it features the undeniable advantage of minimizing both bleeding and movement of the stones (retropulsion) during surgery.
The action of the laser has a dual physical effect, photo-thermal and photo-mechanical. The pulsed emission, with a 2100 nm wavelength that is highly absorbed by water, transmits energy in the form of shock waves that produce a cavitation effect in the liquid surrounding, causing pulverization or fragmentation of the stone, without invasive surgical procedures.
The wide range of multiple combinations of frequency and energy enables the urologist to choose the right setting for any treatment. High frequency and low energy are used for fast and rough fragmentation while high energy and low frequency settings allows stones pulverization in so small particles that can be expulsed with minimal discomfort for the patient.
Depending on the stones size, texture and location and also on the symptoms and obstruction degree, the surgeon can perform different surgical procedures: (URS – ureterescopy, RIRS – retrograde intrarenal surgery and PCNL – percutaneous nephrolithotomy)
Advantages for the surgeon:
- Specific for ureteral and kidney stones fragmentation
- Effective for all types of stones
- High success rate
- Low percentage of complications
- Short learning curve
- Fast set up and easy to use
Advantages for the patient:
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Immediate relief from symptoms and short recovery time
- Minimal side effects
Urethral Stricture
Treatment of urethral stricture, resulting from spongiofibrosis due to different causes such as inflammation or trauma, can now be quickly and effectively treated with holmium laser urethrotomy using MultiPulse Ho. This minimally invasive and safe procedure is suitable for short urethral strictures as well as for more significant strictures or for the treatment of urethral atresia. The laser ablates damaged tissue with a clean cut, free of bleeding and without penetrating too deeply. This reduces the risk of lateral thermal damage, complications, recurrences or the formation of post-surgery fibrosis, resulting in complete restoration of normal urinary flow.
The MultiPulse Ho system is also an excellent tool for ablation procedures, incision and coagulation of soft tissue, providing maximum operating control and minimal damage to adjacent areas. It offers a wide set of applications in surgery for tumors in the bladder, urethra, ureter and kidney.
UROLOGY
The continuous progress in surgical lasers with fiber optics, combined with the widespread use of miniaturized endoscopic instruments able to go where a hand or scalpel could never reach, makes laser surgery the best support for the urologist and for the development of endourology.
Especially holmium and thulium lasers offer advanced performance with a lower intraoperative bleeding risk and shorter hospital stays and catheterization of patients,making endoscopic procedures safer and less invasive than traditional surgical techniques and open surgery.
Endosurgical laser treatments for BPH
BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) – The laser has been used since the 80s for the treatment of BPH: after several evolutions of laser sources and surgical techniques, today the holmium laser and the more recent latest generation thulium laser, are the most advanced technology and high performance tools for endoscopic prostatectomy procedures.>
In the beginning the pulsed Ho:YAG laser, with its wavelength of 2100 nm (well absorbed by the water contained in tissues), was usedfor the vaporization of the prostate, through HoLAP (Holmium Laser Ablation of the Prostate), an ablation procedure that is easy to learn but does not produce great results especially for large prostates. Subsequently HoLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate) was developed: an enucleation technique that, with the help of the morcellator, enables treatment of BPH, regardless of the size of the adenomas. In recent years, a new laser source has gained popularity after holmium: the thulium laser. The arrival of the second generation of 1.9 µm Thulium laser, combined with a 1470 nm diode, helped further spread the use of ThuLEP (Thulium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate).
The MultiPulse HoPLUS and MultiPulse Tm +1470 systems by JenaSurgical represent the latest technology available today to urologists for transurethral operations, enabling them to operate on a prostate of any size for a precise adenoma removal at the surgical capsule level. These devices are excellent, minimally invasive, effective and safe alternatives to traditional TURP and open prostatectomy. The prostate enucleation e with Ho:YAG or Thulium + 1470 diode laser is less prone to recurrences or complications (such as TUR syndrome or bleeding during and after surgery) and involves shorter periods of catheterization and hospitalization. Thanks to their excellent hemostatic effect, they are recommended in the case of surgery on cardiopathic patients or those with coagulation problems (e.g. under those being treated with anticoagulants). Moreover, the use of the morcellator, unlike other procedures, allows for histopathological analysis to be performed on excised tissue in all cases.
Endoscopic Lithotripsy and Treatments for Stones in the Urinary System
Even for the surgical treatment of urinary tract stones, the development of holmium lasers has offered safer and minimally invasive alternatives compared to traditional lithotripsy techniques.
Due to this, the JenaSurgical product range includes holmium systems with fiber sets specially developed for laser endoscopic lithotripsy such as MultiPulse Ho (35W) and MultiPulse HoPLUS (140W), which support urological surgery for the treatment of a wider range of diseases.
The various lithotripsy techniques are used from time to time according to the shape, size, chemical composition and the anatomical location of the stone to be treated. The patient’s symptoms and condition such as the presence of stenosis of the urinary tract are two other important criteria for choosing the procedure. The major advantages of using a Ho:YAG laser source like the one supplied with MultiPulse Ho and MultiPulse HoPLUS consist of high efficiency for all types of stones and the low percentage of migration and retrograde propulsion of fragments treated.
If ureteroscopy (URS) is suitable for the surgical treatment of different types of ureteral stones, RIRS (Retrograde Intra-Renal Surgery) can be considered as the evolution of URS which, using latest generation endoscopes, also treats many kidney stones. Using a flexible ureterorenoscope with active and passive deflection, it is possible to reach the kidney cavity backwards.
Neither of these procedures requires incisions: a ureteroscope or a ureterorenoscope is directly inserted through the urethra into the bladder, ureter and then, when necessary, in the kidney channels. The laser light is delivered via a flexible fiber optic inserted in the endoscope until it enters in direct contact with the stone. Here the energy emitted by holmium can bring about the pulverization or fragmentation. In the first case, the residue is subsequently expelled spontaneously with urination; in the second case, the fragments are collected and removed using special probes called “stone baskets”.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the procedure most often used for larger kidney stones or for those of harder consistency. Under general anesthesia, a small incision is made on the patient side at the level of the kidney, for the direct passage of a nephroscope that brings the laser in direct contact with the kidney stone for fragmentation. When the operation is completed, a special inner catheter (double- J stent) is inserted, to function as a link between the kidney and the bladder to allow the outflow of urine, thus avoiding the occurrence of colic.
Urethral Stricture
The development of more effective and long-lasting treatments for urethral stricture, using minimally invasive and safe procedures, continues to be an important research area. These fibrotic strictures of the urethra, resulting from spongiofibrosis originating from different causes such as inflammation or trauma, can now be quickly and effectively treated with thulium or holmium laser urethrotomy using MultiPulse Ho, MultiPulse HoPLUS or MultiPulse Tm+1470. The use of the laser is suitable for short urethral strictures as well as for more significant strictures or for the treatment of urethral atresia. The laser performs the ablation of the damaged tissue with a clean cut, free of bleeding and without penetrating too deeply. This reduces the risk of lateral thermal damage, complications, recurrences or the formation of post-surgery fibrosis, resulting in complete restoration of normal urinary flow.
Tumors
The laser is an excellent surgical instrument widely used in surgical oncology. In urology, both the Ho:YAG and the Thulium lasers can be used for the excision of tumors of the urethra, bladder, ureter and kidneys. The use of wavelengths that are transmitted through fiber optics allows the work to be performed easily endoscopically. By suitably adjusting the parameters, precise control of both the cutting and ablation is achieved. In particular, the MultiPulse Tm+1470 system allows for quick work with an excellent hemostatic effect (it can be adjusted simply using a pedal according to need, by appropriately mixing the two wavelengths 1940 nm and 1470 nm) and extremely reduced thermal damage to the surrounding tissue.
Main Treatments
Prostate enucleation & ablation (i.e. BPH treatment) with HoLEP, HoLAP and ThuLEP procedures | transurethral and percutaneous lithotripsy | urethrotomy (urethral strictures) | excision of urethra, bladder, ureter and kidneys, tumors | partial nephrectomy in open, laparoscopic and robotic surgery
