A lithotripter includes a therapeutic head with a source for the production and focusing of shockwaves into the body of a patient and is mounted such that a center axis of the head is forced to move and remain on the surface of a cone whose apex point coincides with the focus of the therapeutic head, external to the head, so as to obtain isocentric motion of the head vis-a-vis that focus, even if that focus is made to be positioned in the body of the patient and an ultrasonic transducer is isocentrally mounted on the therapeutic head.
An arrangement for treating patients by means of focussed shock waves, particularly lithotritors, having a therapy head which is fastened to a housing by means of an arm and comprises devices for generating, focussing and introducing shock waves into the body of a patient, the therapy head being fastened to the arm by means of a gearing.
A medical apparatus has an apparatus part which is provided for application against the body surface of a patient, and a patient support mechanism and a system for adjusting the apparatus part and the patient support mechanism relative to each other. The system simultaneously adjusts the apparatus part at a first adjustment speed in a first direction and the patient support mechanism at a second adjustment speed in a second direction, with the first and second adjustment speeds having a fixed constant relationship, so that the apparatus part and the patient support mechanism are caused to execute a motion in a third direction relative to each other. The third direction can be selected to compensate for dislocations of the body of the patient which are anticipated upon the application of the apparatus part to the patient's body surface, so that the patient remains as stationary as possible.
The invention relates to an apparatus for a real-time tracking and imaging of objects. The apparatus comprises of a real-time image forming device, a device for coupling the image forming device with a wave generator generating waves adapted to effect appropriate treatment of said object directed towards a target focus, wherein the coupling device includes a device for displacing the image forming device relative to said target focus. The invention offers the advantage of great positional freedom for the image forming device, enhanced resolution and safe observation of objects within the body of a mammal, and in particular a human being. The object is in particular selected from a concretion, a bone or a tumor, notably a cancerous tumor.
This invention relates to methods for medical treatment of a variety of pathological conditions associated with bone environments and musculoskeletal environments, including the treatment of ischemic conditions such as bursitis. The method involves applying a sufficient number of acoustic shock waves to the site of a pathological condition including micro-disruptions, non-osseous tissue stimulation, increased vascularization, and circulation and induction of growth factors to induce or accelerate the body's natural healing processes and responses.
A method of treating pathological conditions associated with bone and musculoskeletal environments and soft tissues involves applying acoustic shock waves to cause localized trauma, including micro-disruptions, non-osseous tissue stimulation, increased vascularization, and circulation and induction of growth factors to induce or accelerate the body's natural healing processes and responses.
