lithotripsy Definition

lithotripsy
lithotrity
noun

1. The crushing of a stone in the bladder, kidney or gall bladder, so that its fragments can then be passed in the urine.

Derivative: lithotripter
noun

A device, often using ultrasound, that administers a high-energy shock wave to shatter stones in the bladder, etc, which can then be passed in the urine.

Etymology: 19c: from litho- + Greek thruptein to crush.