Complications employing the holmium : YAG laser

We report the operative and early postoperative complications and limitatio ns in 133 patients treated with the holmium laser. Complications included u rinary tract infection (N = 3), postoperative bradycardia (1), inverted T-w aves (1), intractable flank pain (1), urinary retention (1), inability to a ccess a lower-pole calix with a 365-mu m fiber (9), stone migration (5), an d termination of procedure because of poor visibility (2), No ureteral perf orations or strictures occurred, and no complications were directly attribu table to the laser, The holmium laser was capable of fragmenting all urinar y calculi in this study. In our initial experience, the holmium laser is sa fe and effective in the treatment of urinary pathology, Use of laser fibers larger than 200 mu m occasionally limits deflection of the endoscope into a lower-pole or dependent calix.