Extracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus using high intensity shock waves for calculus disintegration and low intensity shock waves for imaging
First Claim
1. An extracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus for treatment of a calculus in the body of a patient, comprising:
- means for generating shock waves propagating in a propagation direction and converging in a focus zone;
means including a shock wave propagation medium for coupling shock waves generated by said means for generating shock waves into the body of said patient;
means for selectively driving said means for generating shock waves to generate high intensity shock waves converging in a focus zone of high intensity shock waves for disintegrating said calculus or for generating low-intensity shock waves for producing an image of said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves;
pressure sensor means disposed in said propagation medium for measuring echoes in the form of pressure fronts having a cross-section caused by reflection of said shock waves for generating electrical signals corresponding thereto, said pressure sensor means having a surface active for sensing pressure which is co-extensive with the cross-section of said echoes in the region of said surface;
acoustic means through which said flow intensity shock waves pass for deflecting said low-intensity shock waves, when generated, for conducting a sector scan which includes said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves; and
reception means connected to said pressure sensor means for generating said image of said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves from said electrical signals in the form of a B-image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for extracorporeal lithotripsy includes a shock wave source which generates shock waves converging in focus a zone, within which a calculus to be disintegrated is disposed. The shock wave source can be selectively driven to generate high-intensity shock waves for disintegrating the calculus, and for generating low-intensity shock waves for imaging purposes. A pressure sensor is disposed between the focus zone and the shock wave source to register the reflections of the low-intensity shock waves. The pressure sensor has a sensor surface which is substantially coextensive with the cross-sectional area of the shock waves in the region of the pressure sensor, and is connected to a reception circuit which constructs an image of the calculus during the course of treatment based on the signals from the pressure sensor. An acoustic deflection stage is disposed between the pressure sensor and the focus zone and deflects the low-intensity shock waves to generate a sector scan which covers the focus zone of the high-intensity shock waves. The reception circuit can be operated for producing B-images.
98 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An extracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus for treatment of a calculus in the body of a patient, comprising:
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means for generating shock waves propagating in a propagation direction and converging in a focus zone; means including a shock wave propagation medium for coupling shock waves generated by said means for generating shock waves into the body of said patient; means for selectively driving said means for generating shock waves to generate high intensity shock waves converging in a focus zone of high intensity shock waves for disintegrating said calculus or for generating low-intensity shock waves for producing an image of said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves; pressure sensor means disposed in said propagation medium for measuring echoes in the form of pressure fronts having a cross-section caused by reflection of said shock waves for generating electrical signals corresponding thereto, said pressure sensor means having a surface active for sensing pressure which is co-extensive with the cross-section of said echoes in the region of said surface; acoustic means through which said flow intensity shock waves pass for deflecting said low-intensity shock waves, when generated, for conducting a sector scan which includes said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves; and reception means connected to said pressure sensor means for generating said image of said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves from said electrical signals in the form of a B-image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An extracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus for treatment of a calculus in the body of a patient, comprising:
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means for generating shock waves propagating in a propagation direction and converging in a focus zone; means including a shock wave propagation medium for coupling shock waves generated by said means for generating shock waves into the body of said patient; means for selectively driving said means for generating shock waves to generate high-intensity shock waves converging in a focus zone of high-intensity shock waves for disintegrating said calculus or for generating low-intensity shock waves for producing an image of said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves; pressure sensor means disposed in said propagation medium for measuring echoes in the form of pressure fronts having cross-section caused by reflection of said shock waves for generating electrical signals corresponding thereto, said pressure sensor means having a surface active for sensing pressure which is co-extensive with the cross-section of said echoes in the region of said surface; acoustic means, disposed in said shock wave propagation medium between said means for generating shock waves and said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves, for deflecting said low-intensity shock waves, when generated, for conducting a sector scan which includes said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves; and reception means connected to said pressure sensor means for generating said image of said focus zone of high-intensity shock waves from said electrical signals in the form of a B-image. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification