Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shockwaves Therapy on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different doses and methods of extracorporeal shock wave treatment (ESWT) on the sciatic nerve regeneration of rat model using unbiased quantitative stereological techniques and to know which method and dose were effective.

Twenty-five Wistar albino rats were used in the experiment. All animals were randomly divided into 5 groups. To the first group (control, n = 5) ESWT and surgery were not applied. To 2nd group (E300*2, n = 5), twice doses of 300 impulses uESWs (unfocused) were applied. To 3rd group (E500*2, n = 5), twice doses of 500 impulses uESWs (unfocused) were applied. To 4th group (E300*2, n = 5), twice doses of 300 impulses of fESWs (focused) were applied. To 5th group (E500*2, n = 5), twice doses of 500 impulses of fESWs (focused) were applied. Rats were sacrificed and nerve samples analyzed on the 22nd day following the operation.

There is a variable increase in the axon numbers among the shockwave treated groups in compare to the control group. The focused groups showed better improvement and the 300-focused group has shown the highest regeneration rate.

The authors found that ESWT promotes nerve regeneration, increases the thickness of the myelin sheath and that the most effective result is in the 300 shock wave.