Phantom kidney stone system

• Main Author: SCHAFER, MARK E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 06.03.1991
• Subjects: ADVERTISING; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND,DEAF OR MUTE; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DIAGNOSIS; DIAGRAMS; DISPLAY; EDUCATION; EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; GLOBES; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PHYSICS; PLANETARIA; SEALS; SURGERY

The phantom kidney stone system (10) for use with a commercial lithotripsy system (200) includes a phantom kidney stone which simulates a human kidney stone (20) and is suspended into the field of operation of the commercial lithotripsy system. The system also includes a trigger (30) which is connected to receive a shock wave signal from the lithotripter which is representative of a shock wave output from the lithotripter. The trigger generates a trigger signal in response to the signal from the lithotripter. A counter (60) is connected to receive the trigger signal and counts the number of trigger signals which is representative of the number of shock waves output from the lithotripter. A detection circuit (70) is connected to the phantom kidney stone and produces a signal proportional to the detected size of the stone at a given point in time and compares the detected size of the stone to a predetermined reference size indicative of a condition wherein the stone would be crushed. The detection circuit generates an output signal at a time when the detected size of the stone is less than the reference size. A processor is connected to receive the output signal from the detection circuit and is connected to the counter and outputs the number of trigger signals which were counted by the counter at a time when the detection circuit generates the output signal. A display (90) indicates the number to the user of the lithotripter.