Use of the Candela laser in the ureter.

The Candela pulsed dye laser is safe and effective. Complications are few and related more to the ureteroscopy than to the laser. Current results in the lower ureter utilizing primarily ultrasound as a method of power lithotripsy have been excellent, and it is difficult to see how lasertripsy will improve on these. The importance of the laser is related to its small size and its flexibility. This will permit simpler access to the stone employing instruments such as small-caliber rigid ureteroscopes and small steerable flexible instruments. If these instruments can be passed without ureteral dilatation, access to the stone will be safer, and they may well extend the range of stones regularly susceptible to ureteroscopic removal.