New Spark Gap Technology for Lithotripsy

A new spark gap shockwave lithotripsy unit is designed for urologic purposes.

LithoGold, developed by Shockwave Technical Service (STS), the urology division of Tissue Regeneration Technologies (Woodstock, GA, USA), is a new electrohydraulic (spark gap) shockwave lithotripsy unit that incorporates the STS SmartTrodeintelligent electrode, which automatically adjusts itself for the specified energy level.

The unit is built into the housing of the Siemens Medical Solutions (Erlangen, Germany) Modularis system, and thus is compatible with the Modularis table and choice of Siemens' C-arms. As a result, the Modularis platform will be available with either electromagnetic or spark gap shockwave technology. The system was unveiled at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in May 2006 in Atlanta (GA, USA).

The Modularis system, based on electromagnetic shockwave technology, will be marketed and sold by Siemens, whereas the platform with spark gap shockwave technology will be exclusively marketed and sold by STS. The system is not yet commercially available in the United States, pending review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"We were very pleased when STS approached us to build a partnership to integrate their spark gap technology into our Modularis components, said Roby Trierweiler, senior director of the surgery and urology special systems division at Siemens Medical Solutions.

"Using the Modularis components from Siemens helped to dramatically reduce development time of the LithoGold, said John Warlick, president, STS. "Now we can provide not only a powerful lithotripsy system, but a comprehensive urology solution.



Related Links:
Tissue Regeneration Technologies
Siemens Medical Solutions