[herval]

“Lithotripsy” is the name of the kidney stone treatment. My understanding is it’s based on vibration, not ultrasound (I know, vibration is sound - my understanding is the method on the linked article uses higher frequency + intensity + shorter pulses than the kidney stone method - so sorta like microwaving tumors vs using a massage gun on kidney stones?)

[CaptainOfCoit]

I think parent is thinking of "Ultrasonic lithotripsy" which does use ultrasound.

[bamboozled]

I’ve had it, it’s ultrasound but it’s not always effective against hard stones.

[gosub100]

I think that's traditionally done with lasers.

[billforsternz]

My surgeon told me my previous kidney cancer surgery (partial nephrectomy) meant my 7/8 size kidney wouldn't handle ultrasound treatment for the big kidney stone I'd developed 10 years after the cancer. So laser instead! Worked well but not much fun at the time.

[psunavy03]

Having had kidney stones, they're both used. I think for the sonic one they put you in a water bath because it conducts better. But as I understand it, the docs can pick whichever one is more optimal, be it shattering the stone sonically or zapping it with a laser.

[bamboozled]

That’s transurethral lithotripsy.