NASA Ultrasound Technique Reduces Kidney Stones Without Pain

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One in eleven Americans will experience discomfort from a kidney stone at some point in their lives. These pesky minerals clumps can be seen as an inconvenience on the earth, but they are also a problem in space. NASA developed a solution for those who suffer from them. This technique may be the key to quickly and painlessly eliminating kidney stones.

Kidney stones can be hardened, jagged mineral deposits, and are found in the ureter. This connects the kidneys to the bladder. Although smaller kidney stones, up to 3mm in diameter, can pass through the body without difficulty, larger stones (20mm or more) will need to be removed from the body. Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a technique that uses hundreds of shock waves to break up the stones.

SWL is effective but has some limitations. It's not only ineffective half the time; it can also be painful so patients need to be anesthetized. This increases the cost and takes longer. NASA developed and tested an alternative method to anesthesia. In a recent issue of The Journal of Urology, the agency published its new technique.

NASA's technique uses two ultrasound technologies, ultrasound propulsion (UBL) and burst-wave lithotripsy(BWL). A doctor can use ultrasound waves to target kidney stones in patients who have a hand transducer placed on their skin. These waves are used to move the stone and reposition it to facilitate passage. The doctor can use NASA's BWL system to break down the stone if it is too big or poorly shaped to pass through the urinary tract naturally. The procedure is much faster and easier than SWL because there's no pain.

According to the feasibility study, The Journal of Urology found that 16 patients received ultrasound propulsion while thirteen received both propulsion and BWL. The kidney stones moved through 21 patients, which resulted in a greater success rate than SWL. One patient reported that they felt "immediate relief" after the procedure was completed. Four days was the average time it took to remove a complete blockage.

NASA hopes that NASA's technique, which was jointly developed with ZIN Technologies and the University of Washington, will soon be used in a clinical trial. The teams will be able to determine how effective BWL and ultrasound propulsion are compared to existing kidney stone treatment methods.

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By: Adrianna Nine
Title: NASA Ultrasound Technique Eliminates Kidney Stones Painlessly
Sourced From: www.extremetech.com/extreme/342539-nasa-ultrasound-technique-eliminates-kidney-stones-painlessly-and-without-anesthesia
Published Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2023 20:37:39 +0000