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Urinary Tract Stone Disease pp 301–309Cite as

Laser Lithotripsy Physics

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Abstract

The physics of laser lithotripsy are reviewed. The principal mechanisms by which lasers fragment urinary calculi are photomechanical or photothermal. Photomechanical effects are produced in lasers with short pulse durations, typically <1 μs. Such lasers include pulsed dye, Q-switched alexandrite, and FREDDY lasers. Photothermal effects are produced in lasers with long pulse durations, typically >10 μs. Such lasers include Ho:YAG and Er:YAG. Different fragmentation is seen with photomechanical and photothermal lasers. Photomechanical lasers tend to be more efficient whereas photothermal lasers are slower but produce smaller fragments and fragment all compositions. The physics of optical fibers used for Ho:YAG lithotripsy is reviewed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urologic Sciences, St. Paul’s Hosiptal, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Joel M. H. Teichman

Authors
  1. Andrew J. Marks
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  2. Jinze Qiu
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  3. Thomas E. Milner
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  4. Kin Foong Chan
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  5. Joel M. H. Teichman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joel M. H. Teichman .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Urology, Spire Manchester Hospital, Russell Road, Manchester, M16 8AJ, United Kingdom

    Nagaraja P. Rao

  2. Division of Urologic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, 27710, North Carolina, USA

    Glenn M. Preminger

  3. Department of Urology, South Manchester University Hospitals, Manchester, M20 2LR, United Kingdom

    John P. Kavanagh

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Marks, A.J., Qiu, J., Milner, T.E., Chan, K.F., Teichman, J.M.H. (2010). Laser Lithotripsy Physics. In: Rao, N., Preminger, G., Kavanagh, J. (eds) Urinary Tract Stone Disease. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-362-0_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84800-362-0_26

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84800-362-0

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