VetSRev
Database of veterinary systematic reviews
Database of veterinary systematic reviews
Wiener Tierarztliche Monatsschrift (2009) 96: 262–271
Link: http://www.wtm.at/
There is a considerable controversy regarding the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (SWT) in the management of equine orthopaedic diseases. Therefore the aim of this review was a breakdown of current SWT research including technical features, effects on tissue, potential adverse effects and the current clinical evidence for its use in musculoskeletal diseases in horses. Computerised searches were performed using Pub Med, Scopus and Web Spirs databases from 1980 to 2007. The studies were subdivided in equine experimental and clinical studies and classified according to the type of shock waver generator and to the quality of the study design. The search strategy identified a total of 39 studies in horses. These studies could be differentiated into 18 experimental studies and 21 clinical studies. Regarding the experimental studies effects of SWT were described for bone, tendons and nerves with conspicuous differences between different tissues. 61.1% of the experimental studies showed significant effects after SWT Within the clinical studies effectiveness of SWT ranged from no influence to 100% of the horses resuming full work. The majority of the clinical studies deals with proximal suspendory disease and navicular disease. 22 studies (56.4%) used a focused device or extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and 13 studies (33.3%) used a nonfocused device or radial pressure wave therapy (RPWT). 4 studies (10.2%) compared the 2 shock wave devices: 3 of these studies showed no effects neither with ESWT nor with RPWT In the fourth study both devices caused microcracks in bone, but of different kind. The review reveals a great inhomogeneity across studies. Experimental studies show various tissue effects. Within the clinical studies there is a moderate evidence that SWT is effective in PSD and navicular disease. However due of the lack of high quality studies results should be seen with caution.
Siedler, C., & Buchner, H. H. F. (2009). Effectiveness of shock wave therapy in equine orthopaedic diseases: a review. Wiener Tierarztliche Monatsschrift, 96(11/12), 262–271. http://www.wtm.at/ [Indexed using CAB Thesaurus terms], animals, Chordata, eukaryotes, mammals, reviews, ungulates, vertebrates, effects, Equidae, Equus, horses, Perissodactyla, therapeutics, therapy, Animal Surgery and Non-drug Therapy [LL884], Non-communicable Diseases and Injuries of Animals [LL860], tendons, research, studies, lameness, Information and Documentation [CC300], databases, adverse effects, bones, data banks, efficacy, adverse reactions, navicular disease, nerves, orthopaedics, orthopedics, peripheral nerves, quality, shock