Polymer-Mineral Composites Mimic Human Kidney Stones in Laser Lithotripsy Experiments

Despite the widespread use of laser lithotripsy to fragment kidney stones in vivo, there is a lack of robust artificial stone models to replicate the behavior of human stones during lithotripsy procedures. This need for accurate stone models is particularly important as novel laser technologies are introduced in the field of lithotripsy. In this work, we present a method to prepare composite materials that replicate the properties of human kidney stones during laser lithotripsy. Their behavior is understood through the lens of near-IR spectroscopy and helps to elucidate the mechanism of laser lithotripsy in kidney stone materials.