Back

TIPS & TRICKS - Releasing a Blocked Stone Basket

How to Release a Blocked Stone Basket By Using a Holmium Laser

If the surgeon is retrieving a stone with a basket and it gets stuck when passing through a small cavity (e.g. ureter or narrow infundibulum) a small 220 μm holmium laser fiber may be inserted in the working channel alongside the basket (for this, a small smaller than 2 Fr basket should be used). Once the laser fiber is in place, open the basket to give it space and break the stone until it can be released. If it remains blocked the nitinol basket can be cut to release the basket.