US Patent 6849994 Electrode assembly for lithotripters

An electrode assembly has an inner conductor removably connected to an insulating layer. The inner electrode is removable so that the discharge tip may be replaced without destroying the insulating layer and thus reused. In the preferred embodiment external threads on the inner conductor cooperate with internal threads in a bore of the insulating layer to fixably secure the insulating layer in a desired position relative to the inner conductor and discharge electrode tip. The discharge electrode is located colinearly with a grounded electrode tip spaced by a spark gap. The grounded electrode tip is also configured to be easily removed from the electrode assembly for replacement when degraded.