Non-invasive destruction of kidney stones

Claim 1

Apparatus for the non-invasive disintegration of concretions such as kidney stones within a living body, comprising means including a focussing reflector comprising a portion of an ellipsoid open at one end and having a first focus point within said reflector and having a second focus point outside of said reflector positioned beyond said open end, said first and second focus points lying on the focal axis of said reflector, said reflector being adapted to contain a fluid such as water, a fluid retaining diaphragm closing said open end and engagable with said body, sonic aiming means disposed entirely exteriorly of said reflector and positioned relative to said reflector to permit said sonic aiming means to focus on said concretion exteriorly of and free of obstruction by said reflector, said sonic aiming means having a focussing direction displaced from and non-intersecting with said reflector focal axis, said reflector being interconnected with and movable with said sonic aiming means focus to bring said second focus point into coincidence with said concretion with concurrent movement of said sonic aiming means away from said concretion, and spark gap means in said reflector at said first focus point for generating a shock wave which will travel through said fluid, said diaphram and through said body to disintegrate said concretion.