Abstract
BackgroundStone baskets could be easily destroyed by Holmium:YAG-laser at an endourologic treatment, with respect to this, we try to improve the resistance by coating them with a titanium oxide layer. The layer was established by a sol–gel-process.Materials and methodsSix new baskets (Equadus, Opi Med, Ettlingen, Germany) were used: 1.8 Ch. with 4 wires (diameter 0.127 mm). Three baskets were coated with a layer of titanium oxide established by a sol–gel process at the BioCerEntwicklungs GmbH in Bayreuth (~100 nanometres thickness). The lithotripter was a Holmium:YAG laser (Auriga XL, Starmedtec, Starnberg, Germany). 10 uncoated and 10 coated wires were tested with 610 mJ (the minimal clinical setting) and 2 uncoated and 2 coated wires were tested with 110 mJ. The wires were locked in a special holding instrument under water and the laser incident angle was 90°. The endpoint was gross visible damage to the wire and loss of electric conduction.ResultsOnly two coated wires resisted two pulses (one in the 610 mJ and one in the 110 mJ setting). All other wires were destroyed after one pulse.ConclusionThis was the first attempt at making stone baskets more resistant to a Holmium:YAG laser beam. Titanium oxide deposited by a sol–gel-process on a titanium-nickel alloy did not result in better resistance to laser injuries
Highlights
An increase in the prevalence of urolithiasis to 5%, i.e. an increase of 25 percent within 20 years, was ascertained in Germany in 2000 [1].The further development of instrumental technique towards extremely thin and even flexible ureteroscopes as well as modern lithotripsy procedures with various energy sources has once again placed special emphasis on endoscopic and percutaneous minimally invasive techniques [2].One endoscopic procedure is endourologic lithotripsy in which the stone is destroyed in the ureter
All other wires were destroyed after one pulse. This was the first attempt at making stone baskets more resistant to a Holmium:YAG laser beam
At the 610 mJ setting one coated wire was destroyed after 2 Pulses
Summary
The further development of instrumental technique towards extremely thin and even flexible ureteroscopes as well as modern lithotripsy procedures with various energy sources has once again placed special emphasis on endoscopic and percutaneous minimally invasive techniques [2]. One endoscopic procedure is endourologic lithotripsy in which the stone is destroyed in the ureter. Sometimes the stone is simultaneously stabilized by a stone basket. These baskets are made of nitinol a shape memory alloy of nickel and titanium (melting point ~ 1300°C) [3]. Stone baskets could be destroyed by Holmium:YAG-laser at an endourologic treatment, with respect to this, we try to improve the resistance by coating them with a titanium oxide layer. The layer was established by a sol–gel-process
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