Definition of "lithotripsy" [lith•o•trip•sy]

• Pulverization of kidney stones or gallstones by means of a lithotripter. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Nowadays, through a process called lithotripsy, they can send high-energy shock waves into the body to dissolve those stones without the risks associated with invasive surgery."
• "It's the same technology used since the 1980s to blast kidney stones, an application called lithotripsy, but for foot problems doctors use less intense shock waves."
• "Physicians now use wave technology to penetrate patients’ bodies from a distance and dissolve kidney stones a procedure called lithotripsy, whereas just a few years ago surgeons needed to cut open the patient to gain access to the kidneys."