First temporal and spatial quantification of single-shot electrohydraulic lithotripsy in vitro

• Published in: Urological research Vol. 24; no. 3; p. 167
• Main Authors: Corleis, R, Vorreuther, R, Engelmann, U, Schaarschmidt, U, Morgenstern, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.06.1996
• Subjects: Lithotripsy - methods; Microscopy, Video; Time Factors; Ureteral Calculi - therapy; Ureteroscopy
• ISSN: 0300-5623
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00304080

Single electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) discharges from a human ureter were analyzed with a mechanical high-speed motion analysis camera. We found a cavitation bubble, at 650 mJ, 4-11 mm in size, with a lifetime of 400-500 microseconds. Varying sizes and lifetimes were found using single-shot analysis, as well as in different shot-sequences. This supports similar observations by recent investigations of cavitation bubble size with high-shutter-speed videofilm, which have depicted events at shutter speeds of 4000/s, i.e., an approximate exposure time of 250 microseconds. Due to the occurrence of high-voltage interference from the EHL high-voltage generator, no other technical electronic event timing equipment has so far been available capable of mechanical high-speed film motion analysis, while at the same time avoiding high-voltage interference.