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Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association2009; 234(9); 1154-1161; doi: 10.2460/javma.234.9.1154

Effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on wounds of the distal portion of the limbs in horses.

Abstract: To evaluate the effects of focused, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the healing of wounds of the distal portion of the limbs in horses. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: In each horse, a 4-cm-diameter full-thickness wound that included underlying periosteum was created on the dorsomedial aspect of each metacarpus and two 3-cm-diameter full-thickness wounds that included underlying periosteum were created on the dorsomedial aspect of each metatarsus. One randomly selected metacarpal wound and a randomly selected pair of metatarsal wounds were treated once weekly with ESWT at an energy flux density of 0.11 mJ/mm(2). For metacarpal wounds, swab specimens were collected for bacterial culture on days 1, 2, and 3 and area of epithelialization and extent of wound contraction were measured at 3- to 4-day intervals. Metatarsal wounds were biopsied after 2 and 4 weeks, and immunohistochemical staining for vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta1, and insulin-like growth factor-1 was performed. Results: Results of bacterial culture, area of epithelialization, and percentage of wound contraction did not differ between treated and untreated wounds; however, healing time for treated wounds (mean, 76 days) was significantly shorter than healing time for untreated wounds (90 days). Staining intensity of growth factors did not differ significantly between treated and untreated wounds. Conclusions: Findings suggested that ESWT may stimulate healing of wounds of the distal portion of the limbs in horses, although the mechanism by which healing was stimulated could not be identified.
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Publication Date: 2009-05-02 PubMed ID: 19405886DOI: 10.2460/javma.234.9.1154Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article examines the effect of applying focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the healing process of limb wounds in horses. The study found that even though there was no significant difference in the bacterial content, epithelialization area, wound contraction and the staining intensity of growth factors, the average healing time was faster in treated wounds compared to untreated wounds.

Study Methodology

  • Six healthy adult horses were used in the study. Full-thickness wounds with four cm diameter, inclusive of the underlying periosteum, were created on the dorsomedial aspect of each metacarpus. This was teamed with a pair of three cm diameter full-thickness wounds, also inclusive of the underlying periosteum, created on the dorsomedial aspect.
  • One metacarpal wound and a pair of metatarsal wounds were randomly selected and treated once a week using an ESWT at an energy flux density of 0.11 mJ/mm(2).
  • For the metacarpal wounds, swab specimens were gathered to determine bacterial culture on the initial three days and the epithelialization area as well as the extent of wound contraction were measured at intervals of three to four days.
  • After two and four weeks, metatarsal wounds were biopsied and subjected to immunohistochemical staining for vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta1, and insulin-like growth factor-1.

Research Findings

  • The results indicated that the treated and untreated wounds didn’t reflect a significant difference in terms of bacterial culture, area of epithelialization, and contraction percentage.
  • However, the average healing time for the wounds that received ESWT treatment (76 days) was significantly shorter than those without treatment (90 days).
  • The intensity of the staining of growth factors also did not show a significant difference between the two categories of wounds.

Conclusions

  • The study findings suggested that ESWT might stimulate the healing process of wounds on the distal part of the limbs in horses.
  • Nonetheless, the exact healing-stimulating mechanism activated through ESWT remained unidentified.

Cite This Article

APA
Morgan DD, McClure S, Yaeger MJ, Schumacher J, Evans RB. (2009). Effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on wounds of the distal portion of the limbs in horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 234(9), 1154-1161. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.234.9.1154

Publication

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN: 0003-1488
NlmUniqueID: 7503067
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 234
Issue: 9
Pages: 1154-1161

Researcher Affiliations

Morgan, Dean D
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
McClure, Scott
    Yaeger, Michael J
      Schumacher, Jim
        Evans, Richard B

          MeSH Terms

          • Animals
          • Biopsy
          • Extremities / injuries
          • Extremities / pathology
          • Granulation Tissue / pathology
          • Granulation Tissue / radiation effects
          • High-Energy Shock Waves / therapeutic use
          • Horses / injuries
          • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
          • Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
          • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / analysis
          • Transforming Growth Factor beta / analysis
          • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / analysis
          • Wound Healing / physiology
          • Wound Healing / radiation effects
          • Wounds and Injuries / microbiology
          • Wounds and Injuries / therapy
          • Wounds and Injuries / veterinary

          Citations

          This article has been cited 6 times.
          1. Ribeiro G, Carvalho L, Borges J, Prazeres J. The Best Protocol to Treat Equine Skin Wounds by Second Intention Healing: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2024 May 18;14(10).
            doi: 10.3390/ani14101500pubmed: 38791717google scholar: lookup
          2. Boström A, Bergh A, Hyytiäinen H, Asplund K. Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 12;12(22).
            doi: 10.3390/ani12223124pubmed: 36428352google scholar: lookup
          3. Tan Y, Reed-Maldonado AB, Wang G, Banie L, Peng D, Zhou F, Chen Y, Wang Z, Lin G, Lue TF. Microenergy acoustic pulse therapy restores urethral wall integrity and continence in a rat model of female stress incontinence. Neurourol Urodyn 2022 Aug;41(6):1323-1335.
            doi: 10.1002/nau.24939pubmed: 35451520google scholar: lookup
          4. MacKay AV, McOnie RC, Riddell LP, Robinson KA. Characterization of the use of shock wave therapy among equine veterinarians. Can Vet J 2020 Sep;61(9):990-993.
            pubmed: 32879526
          5. Tracey AK, Alcott CJ, Schleining JA, Safayi S, Zaback PC, Hostetter JM, Reinertson EL. The effects of topical oxygen therapy on equine distal limb dermal wound healing. Can Vet J 2014 Dec;55(12):1146-52.
            pubmed: 25477541
          6. Sun CK, Shao PL, Wang CJ, Yip HK. Study of vascular injuries using endothelial denudation model and the therapeutic application of shock wave: a review. Am J Transl Res 2011 May 15;3(3):259-68.
            pubmed: 21633631
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