Hepatobiliary calculi are a common biliary disease in China, accounting for approximately 38% of all types of biliary calculi. In traditional treatment, partial liver resection is the main method for treating difficult to obtain stones, but there are high residual stone rates, high recurrence rates, and surgical risks.

With the development of minimally invasive techniques, Electrohydrodynamic Lithotripsy (EHL) under cholangioscopy has gradually become an important choice to avoid liver resection. This technology achieves stone removal while preserving liver tissue through precise stone fragmentation, significantly improving surgical safety and patient prognosis.

Technical Principles

The oscillation wave generated by the high voltage of the hydraulic electric lithotripsy instrument is transmitted to the surface of the stone through a soft guide wire, forming a high-voltage pulse spark in the liquid medium and instantly shattering the stone. Compared with traditional stone extraction techniques, its core advantages include:

Cross System Therapeutic Capability

Electrohydraulic lithotripsy is the only technique that covers both urinary and biliary stones, with a success rate of up to 96% in the treatment of common bile duct impaction stones.

Hard Stone Crushing Efficiency

Liquid electric shock waves can crush high hardness stones such as calcium oxalate monohydrate, with an energy density dozens of times higher than ultrasonic lithotripsy, while holmium laser requires higher energy and takes longer time for hard stones.

Economy and Grassroots Applicability

The cost of liquid electric equipment is only 1/4 of holmium laser, and the cost of single consumables is as low as 1/3, making it more suitable for promoting technological innovation potential in areas with limited medical resources;

Multi electrode mesh basket design realizes the integration of stone crushing and extraction, avoiding secondary surgery; The intelligent impedance matching system dynamically adjusts energy and reduces the risk of tissue damage to less than 1%.

Clinical Application

Complex Stone Treatment

Embedded Stones: Such as common bile duct stones with a diameter of 1.5cm, traditional stone extraction requires cutting open the bile duct, while hydraulic lithotripsy can accurately crush them under direct vision to avoid bile duct damage.

Cast Stone: By combining "fragmentation and flushing", the stone is broken down into fragments of ≤ 2mm and naturally discharged through the biliary tract.

Clinical Data Support

·A study of 89 patients at Wenzhou Central Hospital showed that the liver partial resection rate in the liquid electric lithotripsy group decreased from 67.4% to 47.8%, and the success rate of laparoscopic surgery increased by 21.6%.

·Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Hospital has completed the first case of transoral cholangioscopy assisted electrohydraulic lithotripsy, successfully treating a 2cm diameter common bile duct stone with a 30% reduction in surgical time.

CT manifestations of 8 patients with hepatobiliary stones treated with electrohydraulic lithotripsy (white arrows point to stones)

Service Advantages of SmartVein Medical

As one of the few "R&D registration production" integrated platforms in China, SmartVein Medical Technology has played a key role in the clinical translation of hydraulic lithotripsy technology. Its scientific translation path includes the following key links:

Research and Development Services: Promoting Medical Engineering Conversion

Participated in the core component design of the DLZ-1 hydraulic electric stone crusher, optimized the energy control module, and improved the efficiency and safety of stone crushing.

Develop ultra-fine guide wires (1.5mm) suitable for cholangioscopy to ensure flexible operation of the instrument within the bile duct

OEM Service: Strict Quality Control to Ensure Quality

Adopting precision injection molding and mold technology to achieve large-scale production of the host and accessories of the stone crusher, meeting clinical needs.

Establish a testing process that complies with YY/T 1587 standard to ensure product quality stability.

Registration Service: Professional and Efficient Assistance for Listing

The essence of medical device registration is to transform technological advantages into a chain of evidence recognized by regulatory authorities. SmartVein establishes a "full evidence cycle" service model:

Compliance Path Planning

Develop differentiation strategies based on product risk levels (such as Class II/III);

Establish a cross mapping framework for EU MDR/US FDA/China NMPA to assist clients in "one development, multiple country declaration"

Clinical Collaboration

Cooperate with tertiary hospitals and other institutions to provide customized equipment services and support multi center clinical research.

Assist in formulating operational standards for hydraulic electric lithotripsy technology and promote industry standardization development.

Patient Benefits and Technological Prospects

The liquid electric lithotripsy technology is based on the core concept of "organ preservation and precise lithotripsy", achieving triple benefits from short-term rehabilitation to long-term health:

Minimizing Trauma

Avoiding traditional liver resection reduces the risk of complications such as liver failure and bile fistula by 65%, and increases the proportion of laparoscopic surgery to 67.4%, with incisions only 1-3cm.

Restore More Efficiently

The postoperative hospitalization time is comparable to traditional surgery (average 20 days), but the pain score is reduced by 43%, the recovery rate of liver function indicators is accelerated by 40%, and the early quality of life is significantly improved.

Safer in the Long Term

The stone clearance rate increased by 40%, the 5-year recurrence rate decreased to 28% (traditional 45%), the frequency of cholangitis attacks decreased by 60%, and the progression of biliary cirrhosis was effectively delayed for 3-5 years.

As an innovative solution for minimally invasive treatment, hydraulic lithotripsy technology provides a safe and efficient new option for patients with liver and bile duct stones by combining precise fragmentation with organ protection.

SmartVein Medical Technology, with its full chain advantages in core technology research and development, intelligent manufacturing, and clinical collaboration, is accelerating the popularization and application of this technology.

In the future, with the integration of AI energy regulation, 3D navigation and other technologies, hydraulic lithotripsy will move towards a new level of "precision+intelligence", allowing more patients to bid farewell to traumatic surgery and regain biliary health.

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