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Background: Iatrogenic or traumatic ureteral injuries are life-threatening but difficult to diagnose early. Ureteral visualization is essential for both the prevention and diagnosis of iatrogenic or traumatic ureter injuries. In the present study, we evaluated the feasibility of near-infrared (NIR) with ZW800-1C as a diagnostic tool of iatrogenic or traumatic ureteral injury in addition to ureter visualization, compared to methylene blue. Methods: With mice model, we compared the image quality of ZW800-1C with methylene blue for ureter visualization. We also made ureter perforation, obstruction, crushing injury, and transection model with mice and evaluated the feasibility of ZW800-1C for diagnostic tool for ureteral injuries. Results: We could confirm the ureter in the ZW800-1C images in maximally 30 minutes after injection, and the ureter was visible until NIR imaging concluded at 180 minutes after injection. However, methylene blue failed to provide clear ureter imaging during the same period. ZW800-1C imaging successfully visualized ureters subjected to obstruction, transection, perforation, and crush injuries, although urinary leakage was not visible by eye. Conclusions: Our results indicate ZW800-1C is better suited for ureter visualization than methylene blue and that ZW800-1C has considerable potential for the early diagnosis of various ureteral injuries.

OBJECTIVE We retrospectively compared the clinical outcomes of Lithoclast assisted lithotripsy (L group) with those of Holmium YAG laser assisted lithotripsy (H group). PATIENTS AND METHODS We analyzed records for operation time, duration of ureteral stenting, complication and stone-free rates in the L group (388 patients) and the H group (368 patients) for the primary procedure. RESULTS The stone locations (L group/H group) were U1 in 141/181, U2 in 69/57, and U3 in 178/130. Respective median stone sizes (L group/H group) were: U1,: 10.0/10.0 mm; U2,: 7.0/10.0 mm;, and U3,: 6.0/7.0 mm. Secondary procedures were performed in 79 L group patients and 35 H group patients. The median operation times (L group/H group) were 29.5/25.0 minutes. The median durations of ureteral stenting (L group/H group) were 4.0/4.0 days. The stone-free rates (L group/H group) according to the locations of the stones were 69.3/82.0% in U1, 85.5/87.0% in U2, and 92.0/98.4% in U3. Complications (L group/H group) were ureter perforation in 8/5 cases, pyelonephritis in 7/2 cases, ureteral stricture in 2/6 cases, and stone push up in 27/13 cases. CONCLUSION The operation time for holmium YAG laser assisted lithotripsy was significantly shorter than that of the Litoclast assisted procedure, and the stone-free rate with holmium YAG laser assisted lithotripsy was better than that with Lithoclast assisted lithotripsy for U1 and U3 stones.

Aim of the work was an investigation of ureter wall perforation possibility by various types of mid-infrared radiations (from 2.01 μm (Tm:YAG) up to 2.94 μm (Er:YAG)) and exploration of the interaction basic characteristic for ureter surface (epithelium) and its deep structures (mesenchym). From results follow that Ho:YAG, Er:YAG and CTE:YAG laser radiations accomplish a good wall ureter perforation. A distinguished difference appeared in modifications the ureter tissue - epithelium and mesenchym.

Aim of the work was an investigation of ureter wall perforation possibility by various types of mid-infrared radiations (from 2.01 μm (Tm:YAG) up to 2.94 μm (Er:YAG)) and exploration of the interaction basic characteristic for ureter surface (epithelium) and its deep structures (mesenchym). From results follow that CTH:YAG, Er:YAG, and CTE:YAG laser radiations accomplish a good wall ureter perforation. A distinguished difference appeared in modifications of the ureter tissue - epithelium and mesenchym.