Lithotripter having an ultrasound locating system integrated therewith
First Claim
1. A lithotripter for disintegrating a calculus in the body of a patient comprising:
- a shock wave tube;
means attached at one of said shock wave tube for generating shock wave pulses;
a flexible membrane closing an opposite end of said shock wave tube and defining a volume in combination with said shock wave tube and said means for generating shock wave pulses;
a shock-wave conducting medium filling said volume;
means in said volume for focussing said shock wave pulses at a point coincident with said calculus, said means for focussing having a central axis;
an ultrasound locating means for identifying theposition of said calculus in said body, said ultrasound locating means including a pivotable means disposed in said lithotripter for directing ultrasound locating signals to, and receivingultrasound echo signals from, said calculus; and
means for mechanically pivoting said pivotable means around an axis perpendicular to said central axis.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lithotripter for disintegrating a calculus in the body of a patient has a shock wave source which generates shock wave pulses which are focussed into coincidence with the calculus by an acoustic lens. The lithotripter has an ultrasound locating system integrated therewith, the locating system having a mechanically pivotable element for undertaking a sector scan of a portion of the patient to identify the position of the calculus therein. The pivotable element may be an ultrasound transducer, or may be an acoustic mirror which reflects ultrasound signals from a transducer disposed laterally of the mirror, as well as reflecting echo signals from the calculus back to the transducer. The rotational axis of the pivotable element is disposed perpendicularly on the central axis of the acoustic lens. A synchronization unit controls triggering of the shock wave pulses so that the pulses are generated only when the pivotable element is in a position which presents the smallest obstruction in the direction of propagation of the pulses to the calculus. The position of the calculus can be observed during the entire lithotripsy treatment, so that if the calculus shifts out of the focus zone of the acoustic lens, this is recognized in the ultrasound image and a re-positioning of the focus can be undertaken. The pivotable element can be disposed preceding or following the acoustic lens, as seen in the direction of shock wave pulse propagation. When the pivotable element is disposed preceding the acoustic lens, the fan-shaped ultrasound locating beam is re-shaped by the acoustic lens into a parallel scan beam, so that the path of the shock wave pulse can be completely monitored.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A lithotripter for disintegrating a calculus in the body of a patient comprising:
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a shock wave tube; means attached at one of said shock wave tube for generating shock wave pulses; a flexible membrane closing an opposite end of said shock wave tube and defining a volume in combination with said shock wave tube and said means for generating shock wave pulses; a shock-wave conducting medium filling said volume;
means in said volume for focussing said shock wave pulses at a point coincident with said calculus, said means for focussing having a central axis;an ultrasound locating means for identifying the position of said calculus in said body, said ultrasound locating means including a pivotable means disposed in said lithotripter for directing ultrasound locating signals to, and receiving ultrasound echo signals from, said calculus; and
means for mechanically pivoting said pivotable means around an axis perpendicular to said central axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A lithotripter for disintegrating a calculus in the body of a patient comprising:
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housing; means attached to said housing for generating shock wave pulses; means in said housing for focussing said shock wave pulses at a focal point following said means for focussing in direction of shock wave pulses propagation coincident with said calculus, said means for focussing having a central axis and a further focal point preceding said means for focussing in the direction of shock wave pulse propagation; an ultrasound locating means for identifying the position of said calculus in said body, said ultrasound locating means including an ultrasound element disposed in said housing at said further focal point, said ultrasound locating signals to, and receiving ultrasound echo signals from, said calculus through said means for focussing; and means for mechanically pivoting said ultrasound element around an axis perpendicular to said central axis and extending through said further focal point. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A lithotripter for disintegrating a calculus in the body of a patient comprising:
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means attached at one end of said shock wave tube a shock wave tubes for generating shock wave pulses;
a flexible membrane closing an opposite end of said shock wave tube and defining a volume in combination with said shock wave tube and said means for generating shock wave pulses;a shock wave conduting medium filling said volume; means in said volume for focussing said shock wave pulses at a point coincident with said calculus, said means for focussing having a central axis; an ultrasound locating means for identifying the position of said calculus in said body, said ultrasound locating means, including an acoustic mirror disposed in said Volume with said central axis extending through said acoustic mirror, and an ultrasound transducer disposed laterally of said acoustic mirror, said acoustic mirror and said ultrasound transducer being respectively disposed relative to said calculus such that said acoustic mirror reflects ultrasound locating signals generated by said ultrasound transducer toward said calculus, and said acoustic mirror reflects ultrasound echo signals from said calculus toward said ultrasound transducer, said acoustic mirror being disposed following said means for focussing in the direction of shock wave pulse propagation; and means for mechanically pivoting said acoustic mirror around an axis perpendicular to and extending through said central axis.
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24. A lithotripter for disintegrating a calculus in the body of a patient comprising:
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means attached to said housing for generating shock wave pulses; means, in said housing for focussing said shock wave pulses at a focal point following said means for focussing in the direction of shock wave pulse propagation coincident with said calculus, said means for focussing having a central axis and having a further focal point preceding said means for focussing in the direction of shock wave pulse propagation; an ultrasound locating means for identifying the position of said calculus in said body, said ultrasound locating means including an acoustic mirror disposed at said further focal point with said central axis extending through said acoustic mirror, and an ultrasound transducer disposed laterally of said acoustic mirror, said acoustic mirror reflecting ultrasound locating signals from said ultrasound transducer through said focussing means to a region of said patient surrounding said calculus, and reflecting ultrasound echo signals from said region of said patient after passing through said means for focussing toward said ultrasound transducer; and means for mechanically pivoting said acoustic mirror around an axis perpendicular to said central axis and extending through said further focal point.
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Specification