Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A method of fragmenting a stone lodged in a discrete organ of a human body, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of elongated tubular sheaths, each formed from a thin walled material with a high acoustical impedance and having an inner passage extending in a given direction from an inlet first end to an outlet second end; (b) forcing said sheaths into said body by a trocar extending through said passage and from said outlet second end to positions of said sheaths wherein said outlet second end of said sheaths is near to, but spaced from, said organ and said given direction of the passage in each of said sheaths points generally toward said stone; (c) removing said trocar; (d) inserting an elongated energy transmitting probe into each of said body mounted sheaths for directing acoustical energy through the passages and toward said stone when said transmitting probes are each energized by an acoustical power source; and, (e) energizing each of said transmitting probes individually with an acoustical power source with the summation of acoustical energy from said sheaths and at said stone being sufficient to fragment said stone while the acoustical energy from any one of said sheaths being generally insufficient to fragment said stone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
210 words
A method of fragmenting a stone lodged in a discrete organ of a human body, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of elongated tubular sheaths, each formed from a thin walled material with a high acoustical impedance and having an inner passage extending in a given direction from an inlet first end to an outlet second end; (b) forcing said sheaths into said body by a trocar extending through said passage and from said outlet second end to positions of said sheaths wherein said outlet second end of said sheaths is near to, but spaced from, said organ and said given direction of the passage in each of said sheaths points generally toward said stone; (c) removing said trocar; (d) inserting an elongated energy transmitting probe into each of said body mounted sheaths for directing acoustical energy through the passages and toward said stone when said transmitting probes are each energized by an acoustical power source; and, (e) energizing each of said transmitting probes individually with an acoustical power source with the summation of acoustical energy from said sheaths and at said stone being sufficient to fragment said stone while the acoustical energy from any one of said sheaths being generally insufficient to fragment said stone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as defined in claim 1 including the further step of monitoring said forcing step by a radiographic device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 2 wherein said radiographic device is a CAT scan providing a display of said organ and of said stone lodged therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said organ is a kidney.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
201 words
A system for fragmenting a stone lodged in a discrete organ of a human body, comprising: (a) a plurality of elongated tubular sheaths, each formed from a thin walled material with a high acoustical impedance and having an inner passage extending in a given direction from an inlet first end to an outlet second end: (b) means for forcing said sheaths into said body to positions wherein said outlet second end of each of said sheaths is near to but spaced from, said organ and said given direction of the passage in each of said sheaths points generally toward said stone, said forcing means including a removable trocar extending through said passage and from said outlet end; (c) an elongated energy transmitting probe adapted to fit into each of said body mounted sheaths for directing acoustical energy through the passages and toward said stone when said transmitting probes are each energized by an acoustical power source; and, (d) means for energizing each of said transmitting probes with a separate acoustical energy from said sheaths and at said stone being sufficient to fragment said stone while the acoustical energy from any one of said sheaths being generally insufficient to fragment said stone.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
201 words
A system for fragmenting a stone lodged in a discrete organ of a human body, comprising: (a) a plurality of elongated tubular sheaths, each formed from a thin walled material with a high acoustical impedance and having an inner passage extending in a given direction from an inlet first end to an outlet second end: (b) means for forcing said sheaths into said body to positions wherein said outlet second end of each of said sheaths is near to but spaced from, said organ and said given direction of the passage in each of said sheaths points generally toward said stone, said forcing means including a removable trocar extending through said passage and from said outlet end; (c) an elongated energy transmitting probe adapted to fit into each of said body mounted sheaths for directing acoustical energy through the passages and toward said stone when said transmitting probes are each energized by an acoustical power source; and, (d) means for energizing each of said transmitting probes with a separate acoustical energy from said sheaths and at said stone being sufficient to fragment said stone while the acoustical energy from any one of said sheaths being generally insufficient to fragment said stone.