WO1998026705A2

WO1998026705A2 - Intracorporeal vibration lithotripter

Info

Publication number: WO1998026705A2
Application number: PCT/TR1997/000023
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cengiz Kabakci
Original assignee: Pck Elektronik Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi
Priority date: 1996-12-18
Filing date: 1997-12-17
Publication date: 1998-06-25
Also published as: WO1998026705A3; TR199601026A1

Abstract

A minimally invasive lithotripsy device; for fragmenting calculi stones formed in the body (such as in the kidney, urethra, gall bladder and salivary glands) by means of vibrations and performing the cracking operation within the body; for rupturing foreign objects with the aim of curing cancerous cells and tumours; for treating fractured and broken bones and hence easing the pain caused by such reasons. The lithotripsy device serves to break the targeted mass/stone by a nail (3), according to which method a hammer (1), that moves by means of pressurised air, applies systematic strikes on the nail (1). The device acquires a mechanism which serves to release the air, in front of the hammer (1) as it moves forward, and at the back of the hammer (1) as it is reset backwards, out to the atmosphere while it incorporates a handling equipment (21).

Description

INTRACORPOREAL VIBRATION LITHOTRIPTER

Techmcal Field

The object of the present mvention is a minimally invasive lithotripsy device, for fragmenting calculi stones formed m the body (such as m the kidney, urethra, gall bladder and salivary glands) by means of vibrations and performing the cracking operation withm the body, for rupturing foreign objects with the aim of curing cancerous cells and tumours, for treatmg fractured and broken bones and hence easing the pam caused by such reasons The lithotripsy device serves to break a targeted mass/stone more quickly and easily by a nail accordmg to which method a hammer, that moves by means of pressuπsed air, applies systematic strikes on the nail Background Art

As a general principle, if the force applied on a nail, by means of a hammer, exceeds the mtemal static force that keeps a targeted mass together, then the targeted body will break This general principle is applied m the medical disciplines, as well as in the construction, petroleum and minmg fields The best known example m this framework are the stone breaking drills (jackhammers) used at road construction, sewerage, rock, asphalt and concrete breaking sites An example of such dπlls is appended in Figure 1 This device is started by pressing an on-off switch (Figure l/5 and is operated by the mechanism of which the mobile hammer, that is situated withm the breaking hammer body (Figure 1/2), creates strong force strikes successively by means of air, produced by a compressor (Figure 1/4), and which is transferred through an air hose (Figure 1/3) onto the nail (Figure 1/1), thus producing the fragmenting activity of the stone (Figure 1/6)

A known cracking invention published by the European Patent Office with the number EP 0 317 507 BI and under the title of "The device producmg ultrasomc vibrations in order to tπp an object" describes ultrasomc shock waves obtained by means of a bullet which becomes mobile within a barrel by pressuπsed air produced by a compressor, hitting a wave guide from the back In the referred publication, a reservoir placed outside of the baπel is mentioned In the same publication, it is also descπbed that the bullet compresses air towards the reservoir as it moves through the barrel onto the wave guide The referred publication further explains how the compressed air will not be affected b> dust particles or probable steπhsation liquids as it ensures water impermeability of the barrel In the same publication, it is also stated that setting the compressor piston back to its former position causes a vacuum effect in the tube which bπngs the bullet back to its oπgmal position It is said that the compressor operates with alternating cuπent and that the compressor piston oscillates, making 25 or 30 vibrations per second, simultaneously with the pressure and vacuum rotations of the bullet m the barrel In this publication, the air in front of the bullet is compressed in the reservoir This process, reducing the velocity of the bullet, diminishes the force with which the bullet strikes the wave guide, and so decreases the efficiency of the wave guide related to breaking the stone Accordmg to the structure of the barrel and the air guide, the bullet returns to its original position only by the vacuum created by the compressor; in case of using the pressurised air weld the bullet goes back to its original position slowly.

As a result, by using this device the striking frequency of the bullet to the wave guide and, thus the breaking speed of the stone, cannot be increased. Disclosure of the Invention

The invention presented in this description defines a lithotripsy device which operates more efficiently compared to the lithotripters produced using the known methods. The special characteristics of the lithotripter related to this invention are:

- the condition that provides the hammer to strike the nail with a higher acceleration and frequency as a result of preventing the compressed air from applying negative force against the hammer by means of releasing the air in front of the hammer as it moves forward, and in the back of the hammer as it moves backward, out to the atmosphere, and;

- incorporation of a handling equipment to the device.

The lithotripsy system which is the subject of this invention is described in detail below by way of examples, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a simple stone breaking drill.

Figure 2 shows the side view of the lithotripsy device as the air in front of the hammer is released out to the atmosphere, according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows the side view of the lithotripsy device as the air at the back of the hammer is released out to the atmosphere, according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the side view of the lithotripter device as the air in front of the hammer is released out to the atmosphere, according to the invention. The pressurised air which is transferred by the air tube (Figure 2/9) to the hammer socket (Figure 2/4) makes the hammer (Figure 2/1), which is made of stainless steel, move with a high velocity towards the back of the nail (Figure 2/2). When the hammer (Figure 2/1) strikes the back of the nail (Figure 2/2) it applies force as a result of the high velocity, onto the nail (Figure 2/3); this force is transferred to the stone (Figure 2/8) that is aimed to be crushed, by means of the nail. If the resultant force applied to the stone (Figure 2/8) exceeds the internal dynamic force that serves to keep the mass together, then the stone (Figure 2/8) breaks. When pressure is applied from the back of the hammer (Figure 2/1), the air in front of the hammer (Figure 2/1) is compressed by the hammer. This compressed air applies a negative force on the hammer (Figure 2/1) from the side of the nail (Figure 2/3) which receives the blow of the hammer (Figure 2/1). The compressed air reaches the outer layer (Figure 2/7) by passing through a hole (Figure 2/5) which is opened at the end of the hammer socket (Figure 2/4), and then moving through a resetting air tube (Figure 2/10) that reaches the resetting selenoid plug (Figure 2/12). When in the normal position, this plug keeps the outlet open to the atmosphere (Figure 2/20). Hence, the air in front of the hammer that approaches the plug is released directly out to the atmosphere. This invention provides the hammer (Figure 2/1) to strike the back of the nail (Figure 2/2) with a higher velocity and, thus, with a higher force. This device, compared with the devices which do not release the hammer's frontal air (Figure 2/1) out to the atmosphere, serves to break stones more quickly and easily. The nail (Figure 2/3) moves towards the stone in micro movements. The silicone spring (Figure 2/6) causes the nail (Figure 2/3) to return to its initial position.

In this process a steel spring might also be used instead of the silicone spring (Figure 2/6). The silicone spring (Figure 2/6) prevents liquid and dust particles from entering the device, as well as preventing air loss from the device. When the hammer (Figure 2/1) hits the back of the nail (Figure 2/2), the controlling mechanism of the system (Figure 2/18) closes the resetting selenoid plug (Figure 2/11). In this case, pressurised air which originates from the compressed air weld (Figure 2/17) passes through the pressurised air entrance (Figure 2/16). After being purified in an air filter (Figure 2/15), it moves through an average pressure regulator (Figure 2/14) which regulates the air release strength of the mechanism. This regulator (Figure 2/14) adjusts the average air pressure. The air, whose pressure is adjusted, reaches the resetting air selenoid plug (Figure 2/12) after being subjected to air pressure adjustment at the resetting air pressure regulator (Figure 2/13) once again. Since this plug (Figure 2/12) opens as the hammer (Figure 2/1) strikes the nail (Figure 2/3), the pressure-adjusted resetting air passes through the socket hole, which is opened in front of the hammer socket (Figure 2/4), moving along the outer layer by means of the resetting air tube (Figure 2/10) and causing the hammer (Figure 2/1) to be reset, thereby applying pressure on the nail (Figure 2/1) from the side which the hammer (Figure 2/1) hits.

Figure 3 shows the side view of the lithotripsy device as the air at the back of the hammer is released to the atmosphere, according to the invention. As the hammer (Figure 3/1) moves backwards, the air reset selenoid plug, which is normally in the closed position, opens the outlet to the atmosphere in order that the air at the back does not apply a frictional force onto the hammer (Figure 3/1), hence the air at the back of the hammer (Figure 3/1) is released out to the atmosphere. The process reaches a conclusion at this stage and altogether forms a period. The mechanism works as this period is repeated successively. This mechanism is controlled by the electronic main unit (Figure 2/18 and Figure 3/18). The nail (Figure 2/1) of the device is inserted into the body intracorporeally by minimally invasive means through the operating course of a ureteroscope, nephroscope or of an endoscope of any kind. The targeted calculi stone (Figure 2/8) is reached and the stone (Figure 2/8) is disintegrated as the mechanism is made to work by touching the stone (Figure 2/8). In order for the mechanism to be used by the operator with greater maneuverability while the stone is being broken, a handle (Figure 2/21) is incoφorated onto the mechanism.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the various embodiments of the invention may vary within the scope of the claims presented below.

Claims

1. A device for intracorporeally breaking calculi stones in the body by means of vibrations, characteri s e d in that it possesses a mechanism which serves to release the air, in front of the hammer (Figure 2/1), as it moves forward, and at the back of the hammer (Figure 3/1) as it is reset backwards, by providing compressed air from the frontal side, out to the atmosphere.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, for intracorporeally breaking calculi stones in the body by means of vibrations, characteris ed in that, for the use of the operator, it incorporates a handling equipment (Figure 2/21).