Cystolithiasis as a distant complication after minimal invasive treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Introduction: The only effective way of treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is operating treatment. New operating methods are less invasive but also have complications. One of observed complications is a shift of the tape or the thread to the urinary bladder with urinary stone formation. There is a variety of treatment methods: use of optical lithotripters, ultrasound and pneumatic probes and recently – a holmium laser.

Aim of study: The aim of the study was to estimate the possibility of using a holmium: YAG laser (Omni puls – MAX™ holmium laser) in treating bladder stone disease after SUI operating procedures.

Material and methods: From January 2009 to February 2010 in the Second Clinic of Urology of the Medical University of Lodz there were treated six women with urinary bladder stones after SUI operating procedures where the thread or tape moved into the urinary bladder. The stone diameter ranged from 1.6 cm to 3.5 cm.
Lithotripsy was done using 80 W holmium: YAG laser (omni puls MAX holmium laser) as an endoscopic procedure. The length of beam: 2100 nm. Energy used was 0.2-3.5 J.

Results: In all cases, a urinary bladder stone was disintegrated and vacuumed, then with the same fibre the thread or tape was cut off from the bladder. After two days all patients were discharged from the hospital in good general condition.

Conclusions: The holmium laser is a very effective way of treatment for patients with bladder stone disease complications after SUI operating procedures, when the thread or tape is shifted to the bladder. The procedure is easy to perform and safe for the patient.