LITHOTRIPTOR

Typical Number in Hospital: 3

Cost Bands: 4,8

References:

This is a stone breaker which may be required for the breaking and removal of stones in the kidney, ureter or bladder. Most lithotriptors are used in conjunction with endoscopes and employ remotely operated tools to grasp and break the stones. The fragments may in some cases be withdrawn through a suction channel in the endoscope. More advanced types employ ultrasonic shock waves to destroy the stones, and the shock wave may be delivered by a high-energy spark ignition at the tip of the operating endoscope or may generate mechanical vibration at the tip by an ultrasonic generator outside the body. A non-invasive type exists which generates a focused beam of ultrasound which is suitable for breaking stones within the kidney, which may remove the need for surgical intervention.