Pressure pulse/shock wave apparatus for generating waves having plane, nearly plane, convergent off target or divergent characteristics
First Claim
1. A therapeutic shock wave device for treating living tissue to produce a living tissue reaction in a subject to which the shock wave is administered comprising:
- a reflector housing;
a parabolic reflector disposed in the housing; and
an energy source disposed within the parabolic reflector for developing a shock wave so that a planar shock wave is formed by the parabolic reflector and emanates from the housing and is transferred to the living tissue;
in the absence of a focusing lens through an exit window or membrane coupled to the tissue so that the emitted wave is transmitted unfocused from the exit window or membrane to the treated living tissue with reflected unfocused flat acoustic waves wherein the parabolic reflector is shaped and dimensioned to provide the planar shock wave having a power density level to produce a tissue reaction in a subject to which the wave is administered and wherein the shock wave has a power density in the range of approximately 0.01 mJ/mm2 up to 1.0 mJ/mm2 to stimulate the treated living tissue while avoiding tissue damage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for generating pressure pulse/shock waves (PP/SWs) is disclosed which comprises a pressure pulse/shock wave (PP/SW) source, a housing enclosing said PP/SW source, and an exit window from which wave fronts of waves generated by said PP/SW source emanate. The wave fronts have plane, nearly plane, convergent off target or divergent characteristics. In one embodiment, an extracorporeal shock wave system provides a planar wave for the treatment of tissue. A parabolic reflector is provided in order to propagate the planar wave through a membrane and to the tissue of a human subject. A piezoelectric, electrohydraulic or electromagnetic source may be used to develop the wave.
57 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A therapeutic shock wave device for treating living tissue to produce a living tissue reaction in a subject to which the shock wave is administered comprising:
- a reflector housing;
a parabolic reflector disposed in the housing; and
an energy source disposed within the parabolic reflector for developing a shock wave so that a planar shock wave is formed by the parabolic reflector and emanates from the housing and is transferred to the living tissue;
in the absence of a focusing lens through an exit window or membrane coupled to the tissue so that the emitted wave is transmitted unfocused from the exit window or membrane to the treated living tissue with reflected unfocused flat acoustic waves wherein the parabolic reflector is shaped and dimensioned to provide the planar shock wave having a power density level to produce a tissue reaction in a subject to which the wave is administered and wherein the shock wave has a power density in the range of approximately 0.01 mJ/mm2 up to 1.0 mJ/mm2 to stimulate the treated living tissue while avoiding tissue damage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- a reflector housing;
Specification