[Application of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in andrology]

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has been widely used in various fields ever since it was first introduced for the treatment of urinary stones in 1983. Recent years see a growing application of ESWT to andrology. Studies show that ESWT can relieve pain in 83% of the patients with Peyronie's disease, and has won favorable comments from 66% of the patients. ESWT can significantly improve the sexual life quality of the patients with organic erectile dysfunction, yields good effect in the treatment of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, especially in pain relief. ESWT has offered new ideas and options for the treatment of andrological diseases. However, its mechanisms have yet to be clarified by more in-depth basic studies and multi-centered, large-sample randomized controlled trials.