Twin-Head Lithotripter for Treating Kidney Stones

A technique used in a new shock wave lithotripter, designed to treat stone disease in the kidney and ureter, utilizes two shock wave sources, instead of one, to minimize side effects.

Shock wave lithotripsy has successfully replaced renal surgery in many cases for treating kidney stones. The new lithotripter, called Twinheads, has been shown in recent studies to cause far less tissue damage and minimal side effects. The results of a trial presented at the European Urology annual meeting in Madrid (Spain) showed a 100% stone-free rate after one month of patient follow-up. Moreover, none of the patients in the study needed to use general anesthesia.

The higher efficiency of stone disintegration and precise focusing make Twinheads a safer and faster treatment method, states FMD, LLC (Lorton, VA, USA), which developed the lithotripter, utilizing patent-pending synchronous twin-pulse technology. The US Food and Drug Administration recently cleared the lithotripter for use.




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