Apparatus for fragmentation of a solid body surrounded by a fluid

Claim 1

Apparatus for the intracorporal fragmentation of a solid body surrounded by a fluid, in particular in a living being, by acoustic shock waves which are induced by the energy of a laser comprising a housing, laser energy guide means for transmitting laser energy to an open end of the housing, a reflector having a focus and being disposed in the housing and further being coupled to said laser energy guide means, the housing defining a holder for holding said reflector and said laser energy guide means attached to said reflector, said housing adapted to be inserted into a living being adjacent a solid body to be fragmented, acoustic shock waves induced by the laser energy being focused onto the body by said reflector thereby fragmenting as solid body, and further comprising an element provided in the region of the focus of the reflector which comprises a material which absorbs the laser energy, and onto which the laser energy is directed by the laser energy guide means, so that a plasma state triggering the acoustic shock wave develops at the surface of the element.