Lithotripsy system having locating and orienting apparatus

Claim 1

Locating and positioning apparatus for preparing a focusing shock wave system for the noninvasive comminution of concrements in bodies of living beings, comprising: a patient support means for establishing a particular position of a body of a living being; multi dimensional and pivotable mounting means for an ultrasonic oscillator connected to the support means; an ultrasonic oscillator mounted to said mounting means; the mounting means permitting the oscillator to assume a variety of different positions vis-a-vis said support means for the body of the living being and the body on the support means; first indexing means connected to the mounting mans for providing a reference representation of the position of the ultrasonic oscillator vis-a-vis a particular geometric point inherent in and established by said mounting means but outside of the mounting means, permitting through ultrasonic imaging, coincidence of said point with said concrement; a shock wave system including a shock wave generator and focusing device mounted to the support means; means including second indexing means, and connected to said support means and movable therewith having a particular disposition in relation to a focal point of the shock wave system for obtaining positional correlation with said first mentioned indexing means whereby each of the indexing means serves as a reference for the respective other one whereupon said focal point coincides with said particular geometric point in an imaging plane defined by the ultrasonic oscillator such that a concretion internal to the body may be imaged by the ultrasonic imaging device, and then comminuted by the shock wave system while the body remains fixedly positioned on the support means.