Abstract
Aims: Little is known about effects of extracorporeal shock wave application (ESWA) on normal bone physiology. Therefore, we investigated ESWA effects on intact distal rabbit femura as an in vivo animal model. Methods: Animals received 1,500 SW pulses each of different energy ßux densities (EFD) on either left or right femur or remained untreated. ESWA effects were investigated by bone scintigraphy, MRI and histopathological examination. Results: Ten days after ESWA, local blood ßow and bone metabolism were decreased (0.5 mJ/mm2 and 0.9 mJ/mm2 EFD), but were increased 28 days after ESWA (0.9 mJ/mm2). ESWA with 0.9 mJ/mm2 EFD (but not with 0.5 mJ/mm2 ) resulted in MRI signs of soft-tissue-edema, epiperiosteal ßuid and bone marrow edema one day after ESWA, as well as in hemosiderin deposits found epiperiosteally and within the marrow cavity ten days after ESWA. Conclusions: ESWA with both 0.5 mJ/mm2 and 0.9 mJ/mm2 EFD had effects on normal bone physiology in the distal rabbit femur, with considerable damaging side effects of ESWA with 0.9 mJ/mm2 EFD on periosteal soft tissue and tissue within the bone marrow
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
