title: Effect of high-energy extracorporeal shock waves on the immature epiphysis in a rabbit model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the effect of high-energy extracorporeal shock wave (ESW) on immature tibial epiphysis in a rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty New Zealand white immature rabbit were used in this study. Animals were divided into two groups and they received 14 kW, 0.6 mJ/mm(2), 1,500 or 3,000 shots for three times with an interval of 7 days. After 6 weeks all rabbits were killed. The all tibia epiphysis were assessed by histology. The epiphyseal plaque thickness of right tibiae of the 3,000-shot ESW group was significantly higher than those of the 1,500-shot ESW group and the left tibia epiphyses of the 1,500- and 3,000-shot ESW groups as controls (P < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The epiphyseal plaque thickness of right tibiae of the 1,500-shot ESW group was significantly higher than that of the left tibia epiphyses of the 1,500- and 3,000-shot ESW groups as controls (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated that high-energy ESW stimulated the growth of immature rabbit epiphysis. The long-term effect of shock wave on the immature rabbit epiphysis deserves further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. hozturk@cumhuriyet.edu.tr
authors.forename: Hayati
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Okay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bulut
authors.forename: Zekeriya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Oztemur
authors.forename: Celal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaloglu
authors.forename: Iclal Ozdemir
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Kol
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004838:Epiphyses; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D016896:Treatment Outcome