Impact lithotripsy
First Claim
1. Apparatus for fracturing hard formations in the body comprisinga flexible guide adapted for insertion through a body passage, said flexible guide having a terminal portion defining an interior space, wherein, when said guide is in an operative position, said terminal portion is located within the body passage,an end cap movably coupled to said terminal portion, said end cap being adapted for linear reciprocal movement between a first position and a second position linearly spaced from said first position,means for providing fluid access to the interior space of said terminal portion adjacent said end cap,a spark generator operatively connected to said flexible guide for producing a series of sparks, the energy of each spark producing a rapid vaporization of said fluid adjacent a spark gap proximate to said endcap to reciprocally move said end cap from said first position to said second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for fracturing hard deposits such as urinary and biliary stones and atherosclerotic plaque in the human body. A flexible guide having a hard mass capping an end is adapted for insertion through a fluid passage in a living body. An energy source creates a rapid vapor expansion adjacent to the cap causing it to undergo a pulse like movement, imparting a high-velocity impulse to an adjacent deposit, thereby fracturing it. The energy source may be a laser with a fiber optic delivery system in the guide terminating adjacent to the cap to cause vaporization of the mass cap to create the vapor expansion. The energy source may be a spark generator with a conductor associated with the guide to deliver a fluid vaporizing spark adjacent to the mass cap. Other forms of rapid energy delivery such as chemical detonations or ballistic impact may also be applicable.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. Apparatus for fracturing hard formations in the body comprising
a flexible guide adapted for insertion through a body passage, said flexible guide having a terminal portion defining an interior space, wherein, when said guide is in an operative position, said terminal portion is located within the body passage, an end cap movably coupled to said terminal portion, said end cap being adapted for linear reciprocal movement between a first position and a second position linearly spaced from said first position, means for providing fluid access to the interior space of said terminal portion adjacent said end cap, a spark generator operatively connected to said flexible guide for producing a series of sparks, the energy of each spark producing a rapid vaporization of said fluid adjacent a spark gap proximate to said endcap to reciprocally move said end cap from said first position to said second position.
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9. An apparatus as set forth in cliam 1 wherein said flexible guide has an outside diameter of 0.85 to 1.00 mm.
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12. A method for fracturing hard formations in the body comprising:
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inserting a flexible guide having an end cap affixed for reciprocating motion on a terminal portion thereof through a body passage; providing fluid to an interior of said terminal portion adjacent said end cap; and generating a series of sparks in the fluid adjacent said end cap in the vicinity of a hard formation thereby causing a series of rapid vaporizations of said fluid and a corresponding series of reciprocal mechanical pulse-like movements of said end cap into fracturing contact with said hard formation. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for impacting formations in the body comprising the steps of:
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inserting a terminal portion of a flexible guide through a body passage, wherein the guide includes an end cap movably coupled to the terminal portion, the end cap being adapted for reciprocal movement between a first position located adjacent to the terminal portion and a second position spaced from the first position, and wherein a fluid is disposed within an interior space of the terminal portion adjacent the end cap, and generating a series of sparks across a spark gap disposed within the terminal portion, thereby repeatedly vaporizing the fluid to reciprocally move the end cap from the first position into the second position.
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Specification