{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T06:52:59Z","timestamp":1781679179464,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781654400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Surg."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of thulium fiber laser (TFL) versus holmium:YAG laser (Ho:YAG) in the treatment of ureteral stones in a retrospective, non-randomized setting.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of 132 patients with ureteral stones who underwent ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy between September 2023 to June 2025. Patients were stratified into TFL (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u200954) and Ho:YAG (\n                      <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u200960) groups after applying exclusion criteria. Baseline demographics, stone characteristics (size, location, density), and preoperative hydronephrosis were recorded. Primary outcomes included operative time, laser time, and stone-free rate (SFR) assessed by non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes encompassed intraoperative stone retropulsion, visual quality, complication rates, and hospital stay.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. The TFL group showed better intraoperative visual quality (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.045), shorter operative time (median 23.5 vs. 33.5\u2005min,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.001), shorter laser time (median 5 vs. 11.5\u2005min,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.001), and less stone retropulsion (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.027). Intraoperative complications, including bleeding (7.4% vs. 20.0%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.043) and ureteral injury (1.9% vs. 11.7%,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.028), were lower in the TFL group. Hospital stay and overall postoperative complication rates were similar. The 12-week SFR as assessed by NCCT was 96.3% in the TFL group versus 86.7% in the Ho:YAG group (\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.026).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In this retrospective, non-randomized cohort study, our findings suggest that thulium fiber laser (TFL) may be associated with shorter operative and laser time, better intraoperative visualization, fewer intraoperative complications, and a higher stone-free rate (SFR) confirmed by non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) at 12 weeks postoperatively. However, limited by the retrospective, non-randomized study design and short follow-up duration, well-designed prospective randomized controlled trials with extended safety surveillance periods are warranted to confirm these findings.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fsurg.2026.1880083","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T05:56:45Z","timestamp":1781675805000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Thulium fiber laser versus holmium:YAG laser for ureteroscopic lithotripsy: a single-center retrospective cohort study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Longfei","family":"Yang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yangfeng","family":"Lou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ruipeng","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Junhua","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chenhao","family":"Tang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yanbin","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peng","family":"Zhou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chen","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Hangzhou Third People\u2019s Hospital","place":["Hangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1007\/s40620-016-0283-8","article-title":"Risk of recurrence of idiopathic calcium kidney stones: analysis of data from the literature","volume":"30","author":"Ferraro","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Nephrol"},{"key":"B2","first-page":"490","article-title":"Kidney stones: treatment and prevention","volume":"99","author":"Fontenelle","year":"2019","journal-title":"Am Fam Physician"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.1007\/s00345-014-1395-1","article-title":"Update on lasers in urology 2014: current assessment on holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (ho:YAG) laser lithotripter settings and laser fibers","volume":"33","author":"Kronenberg","year":"2015","journal-title":"World J Urol"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1883","DOI":"10.1007\/s00345-019-02654-5","article-title":"Thulium fiber laser: the new player for kidney stone treatment? 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