Development and Application of Flexible Ultrasonic Lithotriptor

Abstract

A flexible ultrasonic lithotriptor was newly developed in 1988. This new device is made of stainless steel, 94cm in length and 0.5mm or 0.8mm in diameter, which is covered with a teflon sheath. Experimental studies were performed using this new device and urinary stones and model stones were easily fragmented. It took less than three minutes to destruct a 10×5×5mm model stone completely. This device was specially effective in a patient of middle ureteral stone. It is expected that the device will be emnployed widely in PNL technique.