These fractures need specialized treatments to promote healing and minimize risks. Medical professionals increasingly turn to non-invasive solutions like Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) to improve outcomes and avoid surgery when possible.
Focused ESWT offers an exceptional solution to foster neovascularization, enhance bone healing, and minimize complications. Timely intervention is critical in the treatment of delayed unions and nonunions.
A delayed union is a broken or fractured bone that heals at a snail's pace. While healing does progress, it is at a rate that is not within the normal range. Slow healing raises the risk that a fracture won't heal at all (nonunion), leading to persistent pain. Patients also face challenges with limited mobility and a longer recovery.
Treating this type of fracture is particularly tricky because traditional treatments, including immobilizations, can fail to stimulate bone healing. Doctors sometimes need to consider alternative approaches to speed up bone repair and prevent further complications, including:
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT): Shockwave is a safe, innovative, non-invasive treatment that uses shock waves to revitalize blood flow and stimulate bone regeneration, promoting healing in slow-to-heal fractures.
Magnetic Field Therapy (EMTT): This novel technology uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate bone growth and increase cellular activity at the fracture site.
Electrical Stimulation: Low-intensity electrical currents are applied to the fracture area to invigorate bone cell activity and ignite healing.
Bone Grafting: In cases where the bone is not healing correctly, a bone graft may help bridge the gap by providing support and stimulating new bone growth.
Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound: Sound waves trigger bone healing and improve cellular function at the fracture site.
Medications: Drug therapies like bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) or bisphosphonates can enhance bone formation and strength.
Non-invasive options, including ESWT and EMTT, are worth considering and minimize patient risk. Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary when other methods have failed, and in severe cases, plates, screws, and rods can be used to stabilize fractures or bone fragments.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is an innovative, evidence-based technology that has gained recognition in managing non-healing fractures. Physicians are adopting this non-invasive treatment because it works so well for their patients.
ESWT, featured as part of a broader spectrum of care, offers breakthrough solutions to patients whose fracture healing has slowed or stagnated completely. Shockwave effectively and safely addresses delayed union or nonunion by getting to the root of the problem and triggering a cascade of biological effects.
Having the right tools in your medical toolkit can revolutionize patient care. Shockwave delivers focused shockwaves to the impacted bone area, igniting the body's natural healing aptitude. The treatment stimulates blood flow, increases cellular activity, and facilitates bone regeneration.
Unlike surgical interventions, ESWT effectively reduces recovery timelines and is risk-free. It's a valuable and appealing option for medical professionals who want to promote bone healing and restoration non-invasively.
Ahead, we'll review clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of ESWT in treating delayed union and nonunion.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) offers several advantages over traditional methods for treating delayed union and nonunion fractures:
Non-Invasive: ESWT is entirely non-invasive. This treatment minimizes risks and prevents complications and lengthy recovery times.
Reduced Recovery Time: ESWT promotes faster healing by stimulating the body's natural repair mechanisms. Patients often experience a quicker return to normal activities compared to more invasive treatments.
Minimal Side Effects: Shockwave is usually well-tolerated, with minimal side effects. Some experience mild discomfort or swelling at the treatment site, but these effects are temporary and resolve quickly.
No Downtime: ESWT treatments are performed in an outpatient setting, making it convenient for patients to receive treatment and resume their regular schedules.
Effective for Challenging Cases: Shockwave is particularly effective in cases where traditional methods like casting or immobilization fail to stimulate healing.
Shockwave offers a suitable alternative for patients who may not be ideal candidates for surgery due to age, pre-existing conditions, or preference for non-invasive options. Many consider ESWT for treating delayed union and nonunion fractures a perfect choice for modern orthopedic care.
Let's delve into examples of successful clinical applications of ESWT and EMTT in treating delayed union fractures.
ESWT Study 1: Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Painful Delayed Union or Nonunion of Fractures of Interphalangeal Coalition, published in Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics by Yoshiharu Shimozono, MD, PhD, Daisuke Mori, MD, Yasuyuki Mizuno, MD, et al.
In this small cohort study, all patients with delayed union or nonunion of interphalangeal fractures achieved complete bony fusion within two months after focused ESWT, showing its effectiveness.
ESWT Study 2: Treatment of Delayed Union of the Forearm with Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy: A Case Report and Literature Review, published in Frontiers in Endocrinology by Larisa Ryskalin, Federica Fulceri, Gabriele Morucci, et al.
This case study shows ESWT is a promising non-invasive option for stimulating bone healing in delayed ulnar fractures with no side effects. Early treatment is critical to avoiding complications.
ESWT Study 3: Outcomes Using Focused Shockwave for Treatment of Bone Stress Injury in Runners, published in Bioengineering by Alexandra Beling, Amol Saxena, Karsten Hollander, and Adam S. Tenforde.
Overall, the findings indicate moderate to high-energy-focused ESWT is a safe and effective treatment option for managing bone stress injuries in runners, particularly those with delayed healing or nonunion.
ESWT & EMTT Case Study: Combined Electromagnetic and Electrohydraulic Focused ESWT and EMTT for Delayed Calcaneal Union in an Adolescent Parkour Athlete - A Case Report, published in Open Access Journal of Medicine by Karsten Knobloch, Amol Saxena & Wolfgang Schaden.
The case study concluded that combining focused electromagnetic therapy, electrohydraulic ESWT, and EMTT promotes bone healing in adolescent calcaneal apophyseal fractures without harming the open growth plates.
All findings in the studies mentioned demonstrate noteworthy success rates and impressive clinical outcomes with ESWT for delayed union fractures.
To recap, offering Shockwave and EMTT allows medical professionals to provide comprehensive care to patients who wish to avoid the hardships of delayed union and nonunion surgery.
Enable your patients to recover from complex bone breaks and fractures with best-in-class outcomes and advanced healing. Treating your patients with shockwave and EMTT ideally supports bone regeneration and faster recovery.
These innovative treatment modalities provide an extraordinary opportunity for medical professionals and patients.
Contact us today to speak with one of the experts on the CuraMedix team.