Objectives: Holmium: YAG laser has gained its popularity throughout the years and is used to treat sialolithiasis, which helps to overcome the limitations of traditional sialendoscopic lithotripsy for larger-sized salivary stones. However, little information is available regarding factors predicting the success rate of Holmium: YAG laser intraductal lithotripsy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the success rates of Holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy for salivary stones treatment in a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: A retrospective study conducted in patients receiving sialolithiasis surgery under sialendoscopy from May 2013 to March 2015 at Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan. Data on various factors, including patients' age, gender, glands, size of largest stone, multiple stones (≥2 stones), location of the stone (distal duct, middle duct, proximal duct, and hilum), and operative time. The success of the surgery defined as patients without any complaints such as swelling or tenderness. Logistic regression and Fisher exact tests were employed to examine these factors on the success rate.
Results: Fifty-four patients who received sialendoscopy surgery with a mean age of 35.74 years old recruited. Logistic regression identified the operation time exceeding 210 minutes showed 23.497 folds higher odd ratio of having a result of operation failure (P < .05).
Conclusion: The prolonged operation time is the sole independent factor affecting the successful outcome for salivary gland intraductal laser lithotripsy. We recommend operative time be no more than 210 minutes to increase the success rate in salivary gland Holmium: YAG laser intraductal lithotripsy.
Keywords: Holmium: YAG laser; intraductal lithotripsy; prognostic factors; sialendoscopy.