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We treated 45 patients (46 ureteral stones) with a new pulsed dye laser. A 250 mu. fiber was used through a rigid (40 stones) or flexible (6) ureteroscope. Stones were in the upper (5 cases), middle (5) or lower (36) third of the ureter. Stone composition was calcium oxalate dihydrate (34 patients) or monohydrate (7), struvite (2) or uric acid (2). Of the calculi 36 (78%) were fragmented, including 14 that also required simultaneous basket removal of fragments. Ten stones were not fragmented: 6 because of the pure monohydrate composition and 4 due to malfunction of the laser. No damage to the ureteral wall was noted. Retrograde rigid ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy was effective for lower and middle third ureteral stones. Flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy was effective (impacted stones) but difficult for upper third ureteral stones.

Forty-five patients with 46 ureteral stones were treated using a new pulsed dye laser (Pulsolith, TMI). A fiber of 250 micrometers was used through rigid (40 cases) or flexible (6 cases) ureteroscopes. Stones were located in the upper third (5 cases), middle third (5 cases), or lower third (36 cases) of the ureter. Stone composition was calcium oxalate dihydrate or monohydrate, struvite, or uric acid in 34, 7, 2, and 2 patients, respectively. Thirty-six stones (78%) were fragmented, including 14 cases that required basket removal of fragments at the same time. Ten stones were not fragmented, 6 because of the pure monohydrate composition and 4 due to a laser breakdown. No damage to the ureteral wall was noted. Retrograde rigid ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy was effective for lower and middle third ureteral stones. Flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy was effective (impacted stones) but difficult for upper third ureteral stones. Laser lithotripsy was not effective for pure calcium oxalate monohydrate stones.

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