title: Extracorporal shock wave therapy for calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder.
abstract: During the past 2 years, 40 patients referred to the authors' hospital for persistent calcifying tendinitis of the shoulder were seen on prospective followup after undergoing a single extracorporal shock wave therapy. During a single therapy session, all patients received 1500 impulses of the energy density 0.28 mJ/mm2 in plexus anesthesia. Followup examinations were done at 6 and 24 weeks. In 62.5% of the patients partial or complete disintegration of the deposit was observed. Statistical analysis showed significant improvement both of subjective and objective criteria. According to the Constant score, 60% of the patients reached normal values, and 72.5% of the patients had no or only occasional discomfort. Only 6 patients (15%) reported no improvement at the 24-week followup.
mesh_terms: D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction; D018771:Arthralgia; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome