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The crushing of a stone in the renal pelvis, ureter, or bladder, by mechanical force or focused sound energy. SYN: lithotrity. [litho- + G. tripsis, a rubbing]
- electrohydraulic shock wave l. (ESWL) destruction of calculi (urinary tract or other) by fragmentation using shock waves sent transcutaneously via ultrasound transducers.
- extracorporeal shock wave l. (ESWL) (lith′o-trip′se) breaking up of renal or ureteral calculi by focused sound energy.
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lith·o·trip·sy 'lith-ə-.trip-sē n, pl -sies the breaking of a calculus (as by shock waves or crushing with a surgical instrument) in the urinary system into pieces small enough to be voided or washed out called also litholapaxy, lithotrity
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n.
1. the destruction of calculi (stones) by the application of shock waves. In extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL), used for destroying calculi in the upper urinary tract, the shock waves are generated and transmitted by an external power source. The specialized machine (a lithotripter) consists of a sophisticated radiological system to localize the stone accurately by biplanar X-ray or ultrasound and a shock head or transducer to produce and focus the energy source. The prototype machines required the patient to be anaesthetized and immersed in a water bath for treatment, but modern machines require neither water bath nor general anaesthesia. In electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL), used for destroying urinary calculi, an electrically generated shock wave is transmitted to the stone by a contact probe delivered via a nephroscope or ureteroscope.
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litho·trip·sy (lithґo-trip″se) [litho- + -tripsy] the crushing of a urinary calculus or gallstone within the body, followed at once by the washing out of the fragments. It was formerly done surgically but can now also be done by various noninvasive methods. Called also litholapaxy.Medical dictionary. 2011.