Delineating and limiting the zone of shock waves for therapeutic purposes

• US 4,655,205 A
• Filed: 05/08/1985
• Issued: 04/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dornier System GmbH
• Original Assignee: Dornier System GmbH
• Inventors: Chaussy, Christian, Forssmann, Bernd, Hepp, Wolfgang, Brendel, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Application Number:
  US06/732,359
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 128/132 R, 128/804, 128/328, 128/24 A, 128/660, 128/132 D, 250/515.1, 250/516.1, 250/519.1, 378/147, 367/150, 73/642
• US Class Current: 128/846
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2251 characterised by coupling elements between the apparatus, e.g. shock wave apparatus or locating means, and the patient, e.g. details of bags, pressure control of bag on patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00924 for ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2253 using a coupling gel or liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3925 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/002 Devices for damping, suppressing, obstructing or conducting sound in acoustic devices G10K1/06 - G10K1/10 take precedence; for electro-mechanical transducers for communication H04R3/002

Abstract

A template member made of shock wave impermeable material such as air filled foam is affixed to the body of a living being (e.g. a human patient) leaving however an opening through which shock waves from a shock wave generator can pass so that a concrement in the body will be comminuted while the template member shields sensitive organs against parasitic ultrasonic radiation.

Claims

1. In a device for therapeutic treatment of the body of a living being by means of shock waves the improvement for limiting the entrance zone for these shock waves, comprising a template member made of shock wave impermeable material and having an adhesive layer thereon for affixing the template directly to the body of the living being, the template having a particularly shaped opening for the passage of shock waves into said body.

2. The improvement as in claim 1 wherein said template member is made of porous foam material containing air.

3. Template member as in claim 1 being made of X-ray permeable material.

4. Template meber as in claim 1 being impermeable to acoustic shock waves but permeable to coherent ultrasonic waves.

5. Template member as in claim 1 including a self adhering layer on the template prior to said affixing.

6. Template member as in claim 1 being made of a material into which said opening can be cut.

7. In a method for comminuting concrements in the body of a living being by means of shock waves comprising the step of

providing a template member with an aperture and made of shock wave impermeable material;

adhesively affixing said template member to said body such that sensitive organs are shielded from shock waves, the opening being in alignment with the concrement to be comminuted; and

directing shock waves through said opening to comminute a concrement.

8. Method as in claim 7 comprising the step of using one of a plurality of standardized template members.

9. Method as in claim 7 and including the step of providing the template member such that it is permeable to at least one of the following, X-rays and coherent ultrasonic waves.