Method and device for generating shock waves for medical therapy, particularly for electro-hydraulic lithotripsy
DCFirst Claim
1. Method for producing shock waves by spark discharge between electrodes which are supplied with electrical current intermittent in a liquid medium, the shock waves being focused onto an object located in a body, for medical treatment, in particular for electrohydraulic lithotripsy, the method comprising the steps of:
- introducing non-dissolving particles into the liquid medium;
inserting said particles between the electrodes and holding them there to effectively increase the critical electrode separation distance required for spark discharge; and
wherein the liquid medium is water.
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Abstract
The invention concerns a method and device for generating shock waves by spark discharge between electrodes which are intermittently fed with electric current in a fluid medium such as water. The shock waves are focused on the object to be shattered in a body. According to the invention, conductive, semiconductive or polarisable particles (15) are introduced into the fluid medium (14) between the electrodes (3, 4) and retained there owing to the fact that the medium (14) and the particles (15) it contains are accommodated in a casing (11) around the electrodes (3, 4), said casing (11) being permeable to the shock waves. A voltage breakdown in the form of a spark discharge is attained even in cases in which the distance between the electrodes has increased beyond an otherwise critical extent.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Method for producing shock waves by spark discharge between electrodes which are supplied with electrical current intermittent in a liquid medium, the shock waves being focused onto an object located in a body, for medical treatment, in particular for electrohydraulic lithotripsy, the method comprising the steps of:
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introducing non-dissolving particles into the liquid medium; inserting said particles between the electrodes and holding them there to effectively increase the critical electrode separation distance required for spark discharge; and wherein the liquid medium is water. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Device for producing shock waves by spark discharge between electrodes which are supplied with electrical current intermittently in a liquid medium, the shock waves being focused onto an object located in a body, for medical treatment, in particular for electrohydraulic lithotripsy, the device comprising:
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non-dissolving particles in the liquid medium between the electrodes; and a sleeve which surrounds the electrodes, wherein the sleeve contains the particles and holds the particles between the electrodes to effectively increase the critical electrode separation distance required for spark discharge, wherein the liquid medium is water, and wherein the sleeve is permeable to shock waves. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Device for producing shock waves by spark discharge between electrodes which are supplied with electrical current intermittently in a liquid medium, the shock waves being focused onto an object located in a body, for medical treatment, in particular for electrohydraulic lithotripsy, the device comprising:
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non-dissolving particles in the liquid medium between the electrodes; and a holder of the particles between the electrodes to effectively increase the critical electrode separation distance required for spark discharge, wherein the liquid medium is water, and wherein the holder is permeable to shock waves.
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Specification