Abstract: A method for the transfer of molecules into cells and apparatus for performing the method.

Abstract: High-power pressure wave source for generating pressure waves that can be repeated by igniting a combustible fluid mixture and by increasing its rate of combustion up to detonation. The high-performance pressure wave source has a channel, which expands toward one of its ends and forms a combustion chamber, a feed means for the components of the fluid mixture, and an igniting means in the area of the narrow end of the channel, a discharge means for the waste gas in the area of the wide end of the channel, and a membrane closing the wide end of the channel on the front side, as well as a plurality of vortex generators distributed over the length of the channel.

Abstract: The shock wave source according to the invention has a membrane of an electrically conductive material which is connected on one side with a propagation medium and, on the other side, with a flat coil. The membrane is subjected to a mechanical prestress which acts radially on it by virtue of the clamping of its edge area by at least one member which has a projection which extends in a direction normal to the plane of the membrane.

Abstract: Shock wave source based on the electromagnetic principle with defined focusing, with an electrically conductive, three-dimensionally curved membrane, with a coil, which is located adjacent thereto and to which current pulses can be admitted. A switchable electric connection is provided between the coil and a power supply unit. A housing is provided accommodating the membrane and the coil embedded in a coil form, between which housing and the membrane the coil form is located. A transmission medium is provided adjacent to the membrane and exerts pressure on the membrane. The coil form is made deformable and elastically compressible and is installed in the compressed state. The installed amount of the transmission medium remains unaffected during the operating state after the assembly.

Abstract: An arrangement for locating concrements in a patient's body has an acoustic scanning device, a coupling arrangement and an arrangement for producing a marking. The marking arrangement consists of a sensor which is transparent to emitted sound waves and is designed such that, after the expiration of an adjustable delay time, it generates a signal which can be injected as a marking at a predetermined point into the sonic image.

Abstract: The device for locating and crushing concrements has a shock wave generator, a coupling arrangement and a locating arrangement. The coupling arrangement consists of a ring-shaped coupling cushion which has a central passage and essentially symmetrically surrounds the locating arrangement.

Abstract: The laser surgical applicator according to the invention is used for contact vaporization of tissue and has a light guide with a quartz glass core at whose distal end a contact tip made of an optically transparent solid material is located. The contact tip has a quartz glass sheath in which at least the quartz glass core of the light guide runs coaxially at a distance from the inside wall and the distal end of the quartz glass core is molten with the distal end of the quartz glass sheath to form an optically transparent tip.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for high-pressure liquid cutting of organic tissue in which a high-frequency electric signal is superimposed on the liquid cutting jet so that, while the cutting effect is selective, an additional coagulation of small vessels is possible.

Abstract: A plug-type connection is used for connecting at least one sterile electrical, optical and/or fluid-carrying line to at least one non-sterile apparatus with one line-side and one equipment-side plug unit respectively. The equipment-side plug unit is surrounded by at least one sterile foil which is clamped tightly between respective corresponding sealing and clamping edges of the line-side and the equipment-side plug units which surround the line to be plugged in. The line-side and/or equipment-side plug unit has a cutting device to cut the foil in the area of the lines to be contacted.

Abstract: Guiding for a therapeutic head for a medical shock wave generator includes a curved rail and a support for a plurality of rollers; the rail is provided with a plurality of grooves, and stainless steel wires are inserted in these grooves and project therefrom to serve as tracks in that the rollers run on the wires; in one version (FIG. 2, 3) the therapeutic head is mounted to the rail while the roller support is stationary; in an alternate version (FIG. 4 ) the relation is reversed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for locating the focal range for extracorporeal shockwave lithotrity. Motion in the patient's body induced by the shockwaves are detected by a comparison of several ultrasonic B-scan-images taken with a time delay. The detected processes of motion are displayed on a video screen by means of color coding.

Abstract: A process for detecting the quality of the coupling of a shock wave therapy head of an extracorporal shock wave lithotritor to the patient's body. A comparison is made between an ultrasonic image taken without any coupling (blank image) and the actual ultrasonic image taken while the patient's body was coupled.

Abstract: A targeting device for x-ray locating during an extracorporeal treatment of patients with focused shock waves, particularly for a lithotritor, is suggested. The targeting device comprises a carrier on or in which x-ray positive elements, preferably metal wires, are arranged such that they point to the focal point of the shock wave system. In the x-ray image, the position of the elements clearly indicates the position of the focal point.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acoustic focussing device for the focussing of ultrasonic and shock waves, particularly for the no-contact crushing of a concrement disposed in the body of a living being. Several boundary surfaces are arranged behind one another in the propagating direction of the sound waves, in which case adjacent gaps contain liquids of different sound velocities. At least one gap is connected with a non-adjacent gap. At least one of the boundary surfaces is deformable. At least one of the boundary surfaces can be moved in parallel to the propagating direction of the sound waves by means of which movement liquid is displaced between connected gaps and the radius of curvature of at least one of the deformable boundary surfaces is changed.

Abstract: An arrangement for generating focussed shock waves having two two-dimensional shock wave sources. The sources are of different types. In particular, an electromagnetic shock wave source is used in combination with a piezoelectric shock wave source. The arrangement has applications in no-contact lithotrity.

Abstract: A lithotripter having a shockwave generator having a cavity filled with water, further having an ultrasonic, locating transducer mounted by means of a holding device which includes metallic inner and outer shells each having a large acoustic impedance as compared with water and an acoustically attenuating layer interposed between the two shells; the shells are spaced from each other so that the shockwaves will be eliminated by interference.

Abstract: An arrangement for treating patients by means of focussed shock waves, particularly lithotritors, having a therapy head which is fastened to a housing by means of an arm and comprises devices for generating, focussing and introducing shock waves into the body of a patient, the therapy head being fastened to the arm by means of a gearing.

Abstract: A spark gap unit that is easy to manufacture and significantly lighter than previously used spark gap units for generating underwater shock waves, particularly for non-invasive lithotrispy, has an internal conductor with an inner electrode, an insulation which at least partially envelops the internal conductor, and an external conductor with a bow and an outer electrode. The internal conductor is significantly shorter than the external conductor, and the external conductor at the rearward end of the spark gap unit projects beyond the internal conductor. The internal conductor, the insulation, and the external conductor are coaxially arranged. An outside diameter of the internal conductor is relatively small in comparison to an inside diameter of the external conductor. The spark gap unit has a hollow space inside the insulation, this hollow space being open in the direction of a rearward end of the spark gap unit.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sound wave generator with a variable effective aperture angle according to the electromagnetic principle for therapeutic applications and particularly for the contactless smashing of a concrement situated in the body of a living being. The sound wave generator includes a flat coil and a metallic diaphragm which is insulated with respect to the flat coil. The flat coil includes three separately activatable and concentrically arranged coil sections. The sum of the areas of the inner coil section and the center coil section is equal to the sum of the areas of the central coil section and the outer coil section. By means of the varying activation of the coil sections, the aperture of the shock wave source can be changed so that the focus geometry and the peak pressures can be varied for different applications, particularly kidney and gallbladder lithotrity.

Abstract: A lithotripter in general includes a patient's rest, a therapeutic head for the production of shockwaves, an ultrasonic transducer, and a locating arm for moveably mounting the transducer on the therapeutic head; and an additional holding arm has one end connected to the patient's rest and the other end is releasably connectible to the transducer for providing for a dual holding of the transducer once a concrement has been located. The holder includes a structure for motion retardation, i.e. braking action on of the one end relative to the other end.