What it means
The ending for a procedure that crushes something. Lithotripsy breaks kidney stones or gallstones into small pieces, often with shock waves from outside the body, so they can pass in the urine.
Related terms
kidney stone
A hard, pebble-like lump of minerals that forms inside the kidney.
gallstone
A hard, pebble-like lump that forms in the gallbladder from substances in bile.
lith/o
A word root that means stone.