Improving Kidney Stone Treatment with Shock Waves
Innovations in Shock Wave Lithotripsy Technology
This project aims to make shock wave treatment for kidney stones more effective and safer for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11103145 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Kidney stones affect many people, and shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) offers a non-surgical way to treat them. However, current SWL methods have some challenges, such as how the device connects to the body, difficulty monitoring the treatment in real-time, and sometimes needing many shock waves to break up stones. This project focuses on developing advanced SWL technologies to overcome these issues. We are working on new devices, better ways to monitor the treatment's effectiveness, and improved techniques for delivering shock waves. Our aim is to make SWL safer and more efficient, helping to break kidney stones into smaller, easier-to-pass fragments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients who currently have kidney stones and are candidates for shock wave lithotripsy may benefit from these advancements.
Not a fit: Patients without kidney stones or those whose stones are not treatable by shock wave lithotripsy would not directly benefit from this specific technology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective and safer shock wave treatments for kidney stones, reducing the need for more invasive procedures.
How similar studies have performed: This project builds upon a decade of prior successful research by the same team in developing shock wave technologies.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhong, Pei — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Zhong, Pei
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.