Jiang Chunlei

Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University 

Abstract：

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of transurethral endoscopy combined with super-pulsed thulium fiber laser (TFL) in the treatment of urethral and bladder calculi in male dogs, compared with traditional Holmium:YAG (Ho:YAG) laser lithotripsy. Method A total of 40 male dogs with urethral or bladder calculi treated at our Animal Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024 were selected. They were randomly divided into the TFL group (n=20) and the Ho:YAG group (n=20). The TFL group utilized a super-pulsed thulium fiber laser (1940 nm), while the control group used a standard Holmium laser (2100 nm). Key metrics, including total operative time, laser emission time, stone retropulsion rate, single-session stone-free rate (SFR), and postoperative complications, were compared. Result The Stone-Free Rate (SFR) immediately post-surgery was 95% in the TFL group and 90% in the Ho:YAG group (P > 0.05), consistent with recent literature benchmarks for small-breed canines. However, the TFL group demonstrated a significantly shorter mean laser emission time (8.4±2.1 min) compared to the Ho:YAG group (14.2±3.5min, P < 0.01). The retropulsion grade was significantly lower in the TFL group, with reduced incidence of stone migration back to the bladder. Postoperative transient hematuria was less frequent in the TFL group (10% vs. 35%, P < 0.05). Conclusion Transurethral super-pulsed thulium laser lithotripsy is a highly efficient and safe minimally invasive technique for male dogs. Its superior dusting capability and reduced retropulsion make it advantageous over traditional Holmium laser therapy, particularly in managing calculi in the narrow and curved urethra of small-breed male dogs.

Key Words：

Super-pulsed Thulium Laser; male dogs; Urolithiasis; transurethral endoscopy; minimally invasive surgery