Abstract: In a method and medical apparatus to determine a tumor characteristic related to a body region of a patient, the body region is exposed to acoustic energy that mechanically irritates the body region. A first value of a characteristic value of the patient that is correlated with the irritation is determined at a first point in time. A second value of the characteristic value is determined at a second point in time after the first point in time and after the exposure. The tumor characteristic is determined from the change between first value and second value.

Abstract: A surgical coagulation instrument having a planar ultrasound transducer without a membrane, mounted in the region of an end of a câble is provided The instrument additionally has a fluid circuit. It is useful for intra-cavity or laparoscopic treatment, without the use of the membrane. The fluid acts simultaneously as an ultrasound coupling fluid and probe cooling fluid.

Abstract: In an artificial endosphincter (1) for the urethra, comprising a retaining part (2) and a valve (10) which can be manually actuated by pressure from the outside, the retaining part (2) is formed as self-expanding stent. This permits gentle, simple and safe positioning as well as reliable and simple handling of the artificial endosphincter (1).

Abstract: A surgical coagulation instrument having a planar ultrasound transducer without a membrane, mounted in the region of an end of a cable is provided The instrument additionally has a fluid circuit. It is useful for intra-cavity or laparoscopic treatment, without the use of the membrane. The fluid acts simultaneously as an ultrasound coupling fluid and probe cooling fluid.

Abstract: In an artificial endosphincter (1) for the urethra, comprising a retaining part (2) and a valve (10) which can be manually actuated by pressure from the outside, the retaining part (2) is formed as self-expanding stent. This permits gentle, simple and safe positioning as well as reliable and simple handling of the artificial endosphincter (1).

Abstract: An ultrasound therapy probe includes a therapy transducer movably mounted on a probe body, a partially deformable flexible casing disposed around the therapy transducer, and a guard ring that limits deformations of the flexible casing when the transducer moves with respect to the probe body. The therapy transducer can be moved between a therapy position and a retracted position, and the guard ring provides an end-of-travel stop against which the therapy transducer bears when in a therapy position. A first opening is provided for injecting liquid into the flexible casing, and a second opening is provided for withdrawing liquid from the flexible casing. The second opening is located on the guard ring so that bubbles are withdrawn from the flexible casing as soon as they form.

Abstract: An endosphincter for the urethra comprising a valve body and a retaining part to secure the valve body in the urethra. The endosphincter can be introduced through the urethral opening into the urethra and retained at a suitable point in the urethra. The retaining part has openings in its jacket wall to secure the valve body in the urethra.

Abstract: An instrument for therapeutic shock waves in which the shock waves are triggered in response to the patient's heartbeat cycle or to the patient's breathing cycle or both.

Abstract: A concrement in a human body is located by an X-ray system establishing an axis through the concrement; ultrasonic equipment determines a depth coordinate value for the concrement on that axis, and a shock gyrator and focusing system is placed on that established axis for obtaining the comminution. A rest is provided for placing the body in the action zone, and for establishing a second axis in a coordinate system; the third axis is perpendicular to the latter and defines locally the direction of position change for the various types of equipment needed to carry out the aforementioned program.

Abstract: A trigger instrument for therapeutic shock waves, in particular for comminuting kidney stones, in which the shock waves are triggered by the R pip of the EKG or by a preselected time-delay thereafter.

Abstract: A template member made of shock wave impermeable material such as air filled foam is affixed to the body of a living being (e.g. a human patient) leaving however an opening through which shock waves from a shock wave generator can pass so that a concrement in the body will be comminuted while the template member shields sensitive organs against parasitic ultrasonic radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus for the comminution of concrements such as kidney stones, and including a source of shock waves partially surrounded by an ellipsoidal reflector, is improved in that the open end of the reflector for sound wave transmission is additionally defined by a plurality of sound attentuating rings diminishing in internal diameter with distance from the source of shock waves; additional features provide for an overall increase in specific weight of these rings; the transmission of x-rays through the equipment is separately controlled.

Abstract: A couch to securely support and keep in place a completely or partially anesthesized patient in a compression-free and strain-free manner, for instance for contact-less comminution of renal calculi, where the patient by means of strongly mutually inclining and individually adjustable rest surfaces (11, 25, 26) in the shoulder area and at the legs is moved into a back position with a slightly raised upper body and angled legs, with a clear back and rectal area, and with placement of the lower arms next to the head so as to assume a stable hollow-back position.

Abstract: An improved instrument for destroying concretions within the body of living tissue, with a focusing chamber which is a part of an ellipsoid of revolution and at one focus of which shock waves are generated by arc discharge, the improvement comprising that a pad (8) filled with degassed water and of which the front and rear sides thereof (10 and 12 respectively) are composed of shape-adapting, acoustically matched thin foils, is located between the liquid-filled focusing chamber (16) and the coupling site (6) to the body (2), the pad permitting simultaneous introduction of X-rays or ultrasonic waves to locate the concretion and to monitor the success in comminuting, and a second water pad (24) similar to the first pad is located at the body decoupling site and encloses the body over a large area, the rear side thereof being fastened by means of a damping or diffusely reflecting layer (26), for instance foam rubber, to a rigid dish (28) composed of one or more parts.

Abstract: An apparatus for comminuting concretions in bodies of living beings with a focusing chamber forming part of an ellipsoid of revolution wherein shock waves can be generated by spark discharge at one of the foci, the body being prone in a tub filled with a liquid, where(a) the focusing chamber is sealed by a high-strength membrane,(b) the focusing chamber is filled with an extensively degassed liquid,(c) the liquid is under increased pressure, and(d) the liquid is made to circulate, the liquid being evacuated at a location of the focusing chamber as high as possible, and a liquid free of gas bubbles being replenished into the focusing chamber.