Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (Eswl) of Pseudo-arthrosis of Tibia

Initially extracmporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was used for mechanical stimulation of asy-stolic heart and was larer to be used routinelv for urinary and gall bladder stone extraction. Soıne re-ported preliminary studies imply that ESWL can be used to treatment pseucloarthrosis, delayed union. epicondilitis, tendinosis calcarea and prostetic re-vision. Between July 1994- October 1995, in de-partment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Me-dical Faculty, Selçuk University a study was undertaken for 5 patients with tihial pseudoarthrosis. For this purpose Dornier MFL 9000 lithotripter was used. An intensity of 20-22 kV. totalling 3000 pul ses were applied to the end of each fracture. Solid ttili011 was achieved on an average of 4 months (ranging 3-6 months). As a result of Iliis study, the technique ofkrs a potantial altrenative rreatment modality for cases for whom other techniques can be used with difficulty and for pseudoarthrosis which mav develop after opeıı fractures.