Lithotripsy Laser Systems Facilitate Stone Removal

Innovative Holmium:YAG (Ho:YAG) lasers feature a full range of lithotripsy modes including dusting, stone stabilization, and soft tissue ablation.

The new Olympus Medical (Tokyo, Japan) EMPOWER Holmium:YAG laser portfolio offers 35W and 65W systems with a full range of laser fibers to meet diverse lithotripsy challenges. The systems offer a ball-tip fiber that allows the physician to insert it through a deflected scope, while maintaining visualization of the stone. Benefits include a high power platform that offers greater efficiency and higher hertz rates; an intuitive user interface; greater dusting capability; and a stabilization mode that produces a vapor tunnel bubble to clear a path through the water in order to reduce retropulsion and keep the stone in place while applying energy.


The H65 system offers a full 60-hertz of power in a 65 watt Holmium laser generator for lithotripsy (dusting, fragmenting, stabilization and popcorning), soft tissue procedures (incision, tumor ablation, and hemostasis) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatment (HoLEP, HoLAP, and hemostasis). The H35 system offers a smaller-footprint device with 30 hertz of frequency. A full line of fibers is available to complement physician technique, such as the ball-tip fiber and true 200-micron fiber designed to minimize scope deflection loss and increase irrigation during fiber use.

“Urologists demand the ability to customize their treatment of stones with laser lithotripsy and can now approach all stones with greater efficiency with this EMPOWER laser platform,” said Randy Clark, group vice president of Olympus America. “With Olympus being a leader in stone management and visualization, we are giving urologists a full circle solution to treating stone disease. In partnership with our customers, we continue to drive increased quality of care, cost reductions, and patient satisfaction.”

The HO:YAG laser emits light at 2100 nm, merging features of carbon dioxide (CO2) and neodymium:YAG lasers by providing both tissue cutting and coagulation in a single device. And since the holmium wavelength can be transmitted down optical fibers, it is especially suited for endoscopic surgery. Tissue ablation occurs superficially, providing for precise incision with a thermal injury zone ranging from 0.5-1 mm, providing a level of coagulation sufficient for adequate hemostasis.