Method and apparatus for producing shock waves for medical applications

1. A method for medically treating a patient by producing shock waves in a surrounding fluid adjacent a work volume comprising the steps of:

increasing pressure in fluid of the work volume by mechanical pulses;

deflecting by at least one of moving and bending a partition separating the surrounding fluid adjacent the work volume from the fluid of the work volume with the pulses;

generating pulses of shock waves in the surrounding fluid and outward from the work volume from repeatedly deflecting the partition; and

applying generated pulses of shock waves to an area of a patient for medical treatment.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising injecting a fluid into the work volume to increase the pressure in the work volume.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising pistoning the work volume to increase the pressure in the work volume.

4. A method for medically treating a patient by producing shock waves in a surrounding fluid adjacent a work volume comprising the steps of:

increasing mechanically pressure in a work volume filled with fluid by mechanical pulses;

pressing with the pulses fluid from the work volume as separate individual fluid streams through a plurality of predefined individual openings in a partition separating the surrounding fluid adjacent the work volume from the fluid of the work volume;

generating pulses of shock waves in the surrounding fluid and outward from the work volume from repeatedly pressing fluid through the plurality of individual openings; and

applying generated pulses of shock waves to an area of a patient for medical treatment.