This investigation intends to evaluate the capability of an established sector shock tube method for application to lithotripsy. It could provide a quantitatively defined shock wave in terms of wave pressure, duration, energy, and spatial extent for improved patient treatment and use of shock waves in biological research. The only authorized shock wave lithotripsy treatment system (Dornier) employs an elliptical focusing method that, because the focus is a mathematical singularity, is, in practice, inherently unstable and not reproducible in a pressure amplitude and positional sense. All other proposed systems have similar limitations. The sector shock wave method, because it is quantitatively predictable, controllable, and reproducible, could lead to lithotripsy treatment that is faster, safer, less damaging, and easily adaptable to individual patient and various disease requirements. The research effort includes design and fabrication of a conical sector shock tube. It will be used to shock impact simulated and actual stones while transient pressure measurements are made. Hydrodynamics code calculations will assist experimental design and correlation of results. Phase II studies with animals and humans would be based on these results. Commercially, this could provide an advanced third generation lithotripsy system, a unique quantitative biological research tool and a retrofit shock wave source to upgrade existing lithotripsy systems.
