Shockwave Treatment increases the body's own stem cell production and substantially reduces treatment costs

Vienna (ots) - On the occasion of the Congress of the
International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment (ISMST) in
Salzburg experts present recent international research findings. They
demonstrate that medical shockwave treatment stimulates the organism
to produce more of its own stem cells to be used in the self-healing
process. "In turn, this leads to the successful healing of wounds
which otherwise would not heal or would require sophisticated surgery
to heal", explains Rainer Mittermayr, Head of Wound Healing
Department at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for experimental and
clinical traumatology.

Shockwave treatment has shown impressive results in the healing of
bones and wounds. It helps treating severe trauma cases, using non-
invasive procedures. Slow and badly healing wounds such as the
diabetic foot ulcer, which is responsible for about two thirds of all
amputations, can be brought under control within a short period of
time. Moreover, shockwave therapy is used in the treatment of
osteoarthritis, cellulite and other medical conditions on a
successful basis.

However, there is more: shockwaves also stimulate the mobilization
of the stem cells to move to the specific location where they are
needed and where they are transformed into the cell type required
assisting with the healing process. "Comprehensive scientific studies
have finally proven what we had already been able to observe in the
treatment of thousands of patients with shockwaves here in Austria,"
says Mittermayr. Shockwaves initiate the formation of new blood
vessels to grow into the tissue, and induce the formation of new
tissue and, thus, the healing process - new blood flow to the heart
muscle, the growth of new bone tissue and the growth of new skin over
wounds. "It would be safe to assume that shockwaves will replace
conventional stem-cell research within the next five to 10 years," is
Mittermayr convinced.

Shockwaves are as effective as surgery. Just cheaper and less
painful.

Recently published studies document that shockwaves are as
successful as surgical methods in the treatment of non-healing bone
fractures. However, this kind of therapy is superior to surgery in
terms of rehabilitation: "Patients who received shockwave treatment
showed significantly fewer and less severe complications," says
Markus Gleitz, orthopedic surgeon and General Secretary of ISMST.
Wolfgang Schaden, Head of the Shockwave department at the AUVA Trauma
Centre Meidling adds: "The patients in question recover faster and
are rehabilitated more quickly. This is much less painful for the
patients and they get back on their feet more quickly and, thus, back
to work much faster."

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