Confinement of kidney stone fragments during lithotripsy

Abstract

The present invention improves significantly the success rate of lithotripsy and reduces the risk of tissue damage, by injecting a temporary plug in front, and optionally behind a concretion (for extracorporeal lithotripsy) or behind a concretion (for intracorporeal lithotripsy). One aspect of the present invention relates to injecting an inverse thermosensitive polymer solution into a lumen, thereby preventing the migration of a concretion, or its fragments, upon extracorporeal or intracorporeal lithotripsy.

1 . A method of mitigating risk of damage to surrounding body tissue during lithotripsy on a concretion located in a lumen of the body, the method comprising:
 introducing a solution comprising purified inverse thermosensitive polymer at a location distal the concretion in the lumen;   forming a temporary plug in the lumen by gellation of the solution;   deploying an energy source proximate to the concretion; and   applying energy to the concretion with the energy source sufficient to fragment the concretion and propel one or more fragments of the concretion into the distal temporary plug;   wherein the temporary plug is configured such that it is capable of withstanding impact with fragments of the concretion and prevent further migration of the fragments down the lumen beyond the location of the temporary plug.   
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution is introduced by injection through a catheter or syringe. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising promoting dissolution of the temporary plug by reducing the temperature thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said purified inverse thermosensitive polymer solution has a transition temperature of about 10° C. to about 40° C. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said purified inverse thermosensitive polymer solution has a transition temperature of about 15° C. to about 30° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said purified inverse thermosensitive polymer solution has a transition temperature of about 25° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the concretion is spaced from the temporary plug by about 1 cm to about 5 cm. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said energy is an acoustic shock wave, a pneumatic pulsation, an electrical hydraulic shock wave, or a laser beam. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said lumen is, or is part of, a kidney, a gall bladder, a ureter, a urinary bladder, a pancreas, a salivary gland, a small intestine or a large intestine. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solution comprises about 5% to about 30% of said purified inverse thermosensitive polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said solution comprises about 10% to about 25% said purified inverse thermosensitive polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the purified inverse thermosensitive polymer has a polydispersity index from about 1.2 to 1.0.