[Extracorporeal shock wave therapy for bone healing disorders : Evaluation from a medical and economic perspective]

Non-healing fractures, known as pseudoarthroses, continue to pose a significant medical and economic challenge for the healthcare system. This study aims to identify the most efficient, low-complication, and cost-effective options for addressing these challenges.

Recent literature was researched and it was found that extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) achieves similar results to surgical revision in cases of pseudoarthrosis that do not require surgical correction. A comparison of the complication rates between ESWT and surgical revision shows that ESWT is associated with a significantly lower number of complications and, above all, fewer serious complications. If we also compare the costs between these two procedures, we see that the use of ESWT instead of surgical intervention in Austria leads to cost savings of between 65 and 85%, depending on the insurance conditions.

Based on these findings, focused high-energy ESWT should be used increasingly for the treatment of non-healing bone fractures. Compared to the current "gold standard" for pseudarthrosis treatment, namely surgical revision, ESWT could have the potential to become the "first choice" therapy in suitable cases.