Authors:
A. Souza, P. Rockett, P. Souza
Institution:
Ortosom, Porto Alegre; Cortrel, Rio de Janeiro; Orthomaster, São Paulo, Brazil
Aim:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of extracorporeal shock wave
therapy for the treatment of Lateral Epicondylifis of the elbow in three Brazilian Orthopaedics
Cl n cs.
Material and Methods:
a multi-center, retrospective study, the effect of shockwave therapy was investigated in 65
patients with Lateral Epicondylitis of the elbow treated in the period of 39 months from March
2001 to May 2004.
There were 25 women and 40 men with an average age of 51 (range, 33-74) years. The criteria for inclusion were at least three months of unsuccessful conservative therapy or six months of pain. Criteria for exclusion were inflammatory arthritis, previous corticosteroid injection, acute infection, gout, malignant diseases and blood coagulation disorders.
Each patient was treated with 1200 impulses of shock wave, a 05 mm focus depth, and with an energy flux density of no more than 0.13 mJ/mm after local or regional anaesthesia. One treatment was performed on 55 patients and 10 potients underwent a second treatment. The subjects were evaluated by means of a clinical evaluation according to Roles and Maudsley score, subjective outcome on Visual Analogue Scale 'AS) 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 43%, good in 308%, acceptable in 10.8%, and poor in 15.4%, 180 days after ESWT.

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