Shockwave Therapy for Wound Healing: A Review & Analysis
Authors: Li Zhang, Xiao-bing Fu, Shuo Chen, Zhan-bo Zhao, Christoph Schmitz, Chang-shui Weng
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) compared to conventional wound therapy (CWT) for acute and chronic soft tissue wounds. The researchers analyzed ten randomized controlled trials involving 473 patients and found that ESWT significantly improved healing rates and wound-healing area percentage compared to CWT alone. ESWT also reduced healing time for acute and chronic soft tissue wounds by 3 days and 19 days, respectively, and decreased the risk of wound infection by 53%. No serious adverse effects were reported.
The study concluded that ESWT is an effective and safe treatment for acute and chronic soft tissue wounds. However, higher-quality and well-controlled randomized controlled trials are needed to further evaluate the role of ESWT in wound healing. This meta-analysis supports the use of ESWT as an alternative or complementary treatment option for patients with acute and chronic soft tissue wounds.
In summary, ESWT provides better therapeutic effects than conventional wound therapy for acute and chronic soft tissue wounds, resulting in improved healing rates, wound-healing area percentage, reduced healing time, and decreased risk of wound infection. This study highlights the potential benefits of ESWT as an effective and safe treatment option for patients with soft tissue wounds.