Authors: P. Rockett, A. Souza, P. Santos
Institution: Ortosom, Porto Alegre; Corirel, Rio de Janeiro; Orthomaster, São Paulo, Brazil
Aim:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of extracorporeal shack wave
therapy for the treatment af tendinosis calcarea of the shoulder in three Brazilian Orthopaedics
Clinics.
Material and Methods:
In a multi-center, retrospective study, the effect of shockwave therapy was investigated in 119 patients with tendinosis calcarea of the shoulder treated in the period of 38 months from April 2001 to May 2004.
There were 64 women and 58 men with an average age of 56 (range, 37-79) years. The criteria for inclusion were at east three months of unsuccessful conservative therapy or six months of pain and calcifications grade I or II from Gartner's classification. Criteria for exclusion were inflammatory arthritis, previous corticosteroid injection, acute infection, gout, malignant diseases and, blood coagulation disorders. Each patient was treated with 1500 - 2000 impulses of shock wave, a 35 mm focus depth, and with an energy flux density of no more than 0.14 mJ/mm after local anaesthesia.
One treatment was performed on 111 patients and 8 patients underwent a second treatment. The subjects were evaluated by means of a clinical evaluation according to Roles and Maudsley scare, subjective outcome on Visual Analogue Scale QVAS) , X-rays and ultrasound analysis, 45, 90 and 180 days after the end of the therapy.
Results:
The study showed the efficacy and safety of ESWT were excellent in 26.9%, good in 37%, acceptable in 12.6%, and poor in 23.5%, 180 days after ESWT.

<<Back to Studies