Effect of high-energy extracorporeal shock waves on the immature epiphysis in a rabbit model.
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.
Ozturk
Hayati
H
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. hozturk@cumhuriyet.edu.tr
Bulut
Okay
O
Oztemur
Zekeriya
Z
Kaloglu
Celal
C
Kol
Iclal Ozdemir
IO
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