Feedback dependent lithotripsy energy delivery

1. A lithotripter, comprising:

a lithotripsy apparatus for treatment of a urinary tract stone by fragmentation, the lithotripsy apparatus comprising a lithotripsy wave guide shaft configured to transmit an energy at two different frequencies to at least one urinary tract stone;

a sensing device configured to provide signal data for determining optimal application of the energy by the lithotripsy apparatus during treatment with the lithotripsy apparatus; and

a processor configured to collect the signal data, the processor having a control logic configured to optimize the two frequencies after determining:

a) if the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is in contact with a stone;

b) type of stone;

c) if a user is applying force in excess of a predetermined threshold; and

d) physical characteristics of a stone

from the signal data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal data includes at least one of current, voltage, frequency, resonance energy information, and positional information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensing device is at least one of a piezoelectric element, an electromagnetic element, an electro-optic element, an electro-impedance element, a variable impedance element, a strain element, a flow rate sensor, an accelerometer, and a displacement sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to indicate to a user at least one of:

a) whether the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is in contact with a tissue;

b) whether the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is in contact with a stone;

c) type of stone;

d) whether a user is applying force in excess of a predetermined threshold;

e) an amount of force effected upon a stone; and

f) physical characteristics of a stone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , the lithotripsy wave guide shaft having a distal end, the distal end having sharp edges to aggressively break up a stone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is straight and rigid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lithotripsy wave guide shaft is flexible.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the lithotripsy apparatus further comprising a lithotripsy driver and a driver housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensing device is coupled with at least one of the lithotripsy device and a sheath at least partially surrounding the lithotripsy device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide shaft transmits the energy at two frequencies simultaneously.

11. A method for optimizing a lithotripsy apparatus having a lithotripsy shaft configured to transmit an energy at two different frequencies for fragmenting stones, the method comprising:

sensing with a sensing device an operational parameter for adjusting the stone-fragmenting energy;

wherein a processor determines the operational parameter after collecting signal data indicating the following operational conditions:

a) the lithotripsy shaft is in contact with a stone;

b) type of stone;

c) amount of force being applied by a user;

d) whether the user is applying force in excess of a predetermined threshold; and

e) physical characteristics of a stone;

and optimizing two frequencies according to the operational conditions.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising displaying to a user at least one of:

a) whether the lithotripsy shaft is in contact with a tissue;

b) whether the lithotripsy shaft is in contact with a stone;

c) type of stone;

d) an amount of force effected upon a stone by the user;

e) whether the amount of force effected upon a stone by the user is above or below a predetermined threshold; and

f) physical characteristics of a stone.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining whether to deliver stone-breaking energy through the lithotripsy shaft, based on the operational conditions.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining an amount of stone-breaking energy to deliver through the lithotripsy shaft, based on the operational conditions.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the optimization is an adjustment to a waveform frequency and amplitude.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of sensing an operational parameter includes delivering a sensing energy through the lithotripsy shaft, the sensing energy being lesser than the stone-fragmenting energy.