We previously reported that irradiation of Nd: YAG and Ga-Al-As diode laser alleviated pain caused by orthodontic treatment. In the present study, we extended the study and examined pain-alleviating effect of He-Ne laser irradiation. Twenty-two examinees who had symmetrical teeth were investigated.
Each examinee was inserted two elastic separators beside the first molar teeth on both left and right sides. Then, He-Ne laser (wave length 632.8nm, out put 6m W, for 2 minutes) was irradiated on buccal gingiva next to first molar teeth on either left or right side at random. About two weeks after the insertion, magnitude of pain of both irradiated and non-irradiated sides was evaluated according to statements of examinees using Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Magnitude of pain of irradiated side was smaller than that of non-irradiated side in 14 cases out of 22. More over, avarage VAS value of irradiated sides was significantly smaller than that of non-irradiated sides (p<0.05, by t-test)
This results indicated that pain-alleviating effect of He-Ne laser irradiation was comparable to that of Ga-Al-As diode laser irradiation.

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Sufficient energy of pulse dye laser or Alexandrite laser to disintegrate urinary stones. can be transmitted through a very fine optical fiber and allows the use of very fine endoscopes.
One of the advantages of the method is that it has not almost any effect on the mucosa at the output used for stone disintegration. So the method is now widely used as a aid for endoscopic stone disintegration.

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As the therapy for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), transurethral resection of the prosotate (TURP) is widely accepted as the“gold stndard”of surgical therapy.
Recently, however, conservative treatment has received more attention. Transurethral Balloon Laserthrapy of the prostate by Nd: YAG laser is regarded as a conservative one.
In this report, we reported results of 4 different examinations by using Balloon Laser fiber.
1. Thermal damage of the prostatic tissues.: Tissue damage of the prostate occured 45.0°C for 20 minutes. And, muscle damage of the urethral sphincter occurred 47°C for 20 minutes.
2. Interstitial temperature measurement during lasertherapy.: The effect of cooling of the tissue was within 6mm and direct transmission of the laser energy was within 10mm.
3. Urethral compliance after Transurethral Baloon Laser Hyperthermia (TUBAL-H).: Urethral compliance increased after Balloon Laser Hyperthermia and its increase maintained for about 16 weeks.
4. Transurethral Baloon Laser Prostatectomy (TUBAL-P).: Therapeutic conditions incluede irradiation at 15W for 20 minutes, while the temperature 5mm below the urethral mucosa was maintained at 60°C without urethral cooling. After 4 weeks, cavity formations in the prostatic urethra were completed. Stricture was not found in the prostatic urethra after 6 months.

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Thirty-two patients with BPH underwent transurethral laser surgery of prostate (TULS-P). In the present study the patients were selected according to the following criterion: above 15 points in AUA Prostate Symptom Score (AUA-PSS), bolew 15ml/sec in peak flow rate (uroflometry) and above 20ml prostate volume(transrectal ultrasound). Nd YAG laser and UltraLine^TM (LaserSonics) fiber were used during laser irradiation. The laser was irradiated at four radial regions (2, 4, 8 and 10 o'clock positions), additionally to 3, 5, 7 and 9 o'clock position, with the fiber being dragged from the bladder neck to verumontanum. The laser was set at 50 watts power on continuous wave, The irradiation was for 30 to 60 seconds and with spot and/or running irradiation. Clinical efficiency was determined by AUA-PSS, peak flow rate, residual urine, prostatic volume and side effect.
The effective rate were as follows, AUA-PSS; 81.3%, peak flow rate; 75.0%, residual urine; 87.5% and prostatic volume; 96.9%. As to the side effect, 10 patients revealed urinary retention and two patients showed acute epididymitis after the operation. From the president study, TULS-P using lateral firing fiber would he one of the useful tool for the treatment of BPH.

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Our purpose is to develop simple, safe and effective laser treatments for the ureteral and urethral strictures without recurrent stenosis. We reviewed the current laser treatments. To decrease risk of the post operative stenosis, we investigated a proper laser treatment for stenosis of ureter of urethra, comparing the ablation characteristics of a pulsed Ho: YAG laser with that of a continuous uv Ar laser using canine ureter in vitro. The histological examination revealed that the thermally coagulated layer by Ho: YAG laser was thinner than uv Ar laser, although ablation efficiency of the Ho: YAG laser was lower than that of uv Ar laser. The results indicated the usefulness of Ho: YAG laser because of preventing the post operative stenosis due to the minimum coagulation. We developed a novel multi-fiber catheter which can be introduced into the ureter with easy procedure. The canine ureteral stricture was successfully ablated circumferentially by ultraviolet argon laser irradiation through the multi-fiber catheter, The treated ureter was kept open for 11 weeks after ablation. The laser treatments with our new multi-fiber catheter may be useful for the ureteral and urethral strictures.

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Recently, the confocal laser microscope (CLM) has been used in our department, particularly for patients with hematuria and male infertility, without requiring fixation and staining. In this study, urine specimens from 31 patients with hematuria were collected. Twenty three patients had urological disease and 8 had glomerular disease. The CLM of the urine specimens showed a marked morphplogical difference between dysmorphic and isomorphic erythrocytes. The sensitivity and specificity for urological disease by CLM were 100% and 95.7%, whereas those for glomerular disease were 100% and 87.5%.
Semen specimens from 27 fertile men and 14 infertile men were collected. The sperm showed some morphplogical difference between fertile men and infertile men by the CLM. It was supposed that the good sperm had narrow sperm head, long sperm midpiece and wide acrosomal region of sperm head. By the way, semen specimens from 3 patients with hematospermia were collected. The red-blood-cells in semen were isomsrphic by the CLM.
From these results, it seems like that the CLM makes it simpler and easier to evaluate the morphology of the erythrocyte in urine and sperm. The CLM can be a good assistant diagnostic modality for patients with hematuria and investigative modality for male infertility.

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