While many medical professionals recognize shockwave therapy and EMTT as advanced non-invasive treatments used as treatment alternatives to surgery, these regenerative modalities support surgical efforts, whether utilized before or after surgery. When ESWT and EMTT are used in pre- and post-surgical settings, healing is advanced and accelerated, leading to optimal surgical outcomes and a quickened return to activity.
Let's explore the benefits of using these evidence-based and restorative treatments for your patients to improve surgical outcomes. We’ll also take a look at the clinical data supporting their efficacy.
Understanding Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy, also known as Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology (EPAT) and as Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), is a game-changing, noninvasive treatment that relies upon unique sets of acoustic pressure waves to awaken,activate and restore the body's natural healing processes. It is effective in multiple clinical specialties and has been shown to alleviate pain and promote healing in injured tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues.
Shockwave therapy's role as a healing accelerator is well-supported by Level 1 scientific evidence in various fields, including wound and burn healing, musculoskeletal disorders, tendinopathies, aesthetics, and more.
What is EMTT?
Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy (EMTT) relies upon high-energy magnetic pulses. When applied to a painful treatment area, a strength starting at 10 mT (millitesla) and upward falls within the therapeutic range. This pulse can be adjusted to achieve therapeutic effects at the cellular level. The pulses are delivered via a handpiece to the chosen treatment area and penetrate deeply into tissue layers.
Treatment with EMTT ignites a cascade of healing effects, including tissue regeneration and increased blood flow. It also minimizes inflammation, which diminishes pain rapidly.
Numerous benefits exist to utilizing EMTT, including its evidence-based, non-invasive, outpatient procedure, no side effects, and easy, comfortable treatment for your patients.
EMTT is being used successfully to treat musculoskeletal and degenerative joint diseases, wear-and-tear injuries, pain treatment, sports injuries, and chronic inflammation of joints and tendons.
Our EMTT white paper delves deeply into the regenerative and restorative power revolutionizing treatment and rehabilitation.
The Advantages of Combining Shockwave Therapy and EMTT
While EMTT and shockwave rely on different operating mechanisms, they are highly complementary treatment modalities when used in tandem.
Ultimately, leveraging the power of both technologies delivers the most optimal patient outcomes. Explore A Synergistic Approach to Treating Acute and Chronic Pain for insights on using these complementary therapies.
Using both technologies enables practitioners to help your patients heal and recover faster. Shockwave and EMTT work well together to improve the quality of tissue prior to surgical intervention and accelerate healing, reduce pain, and inflammation post-surgery resulting in optimal outcomes and recovery.
“Combining ESWT and EMTT before and after surgery can precondition the tissues to be operated on and accelerate post-surgical healing with enhanced lymphatic blood flow and swelling reduction,” explains Prof. Dr. Karsten Knobloch.
Pre-Surgery Applications to Ease Recovery
Both shockwave and EMTT can play a crucial role in prepping patients for surgery in a way that will additionally enhance recovery.
Preparing the Body for Surgery
It pays to be proactive. Nowhere is that more evident than when preparing for surgery. Every necessary measure should be taken to enhance and equip your patients to undergo surgery successfully. Arriving at that ideal state relies upon suitable pre-surgery conditioning.
Making shockwave and EMTT an essential part of a pre-surgical treatment plan dramatically increases the likelihood of the very best patient outcomes. Both technologies work synergistically to prepare musculoskeletal and vascular structures for surgery.
Pre-operative shockwave therapy restores tissue elasticity, strengthening tissue, and improving vascularization in the treatment area ahead of the scheduled surgery, providing an excellent advantage. Additionally, pre-surgical EMTT treatment relieves symptoms, enhances circulation, ignites cellular functionality, awakens cellular repair, and limits pain. Improving your patient's condition before surgery is instrumental to achieving better patient results in the end.
By preparing the patient and tissue for surgery with shockwave and EMTT, you effectively minimize the risk of complications. Strengthening the tissues before surgery, in turn, supports surgical efforts and results.
Utilizing EMTT and Shockwave Therapy After Surgery
EMTT and shockwave therapy after surgery further support post-surgical recovery and healing. Specifically, focused shockwave (ESWT) accelerates the healing process and is exceptional at improving wound healing and vascularization, as well as reducing scar formation.
Additionally, EMTT helps tackle post-surgical pain and associated inflammation. It also plays a role in scar management and improving the appearance of the skin in the surgical area.
Bottom line? Both shockwave and EMTT contribute to faster, easier healing and best-case scenarios in post-surgical outcomes.
Research Supports the Efficacy of Shockwave and EMTT Pre- and Post-Surgery
The immense value of scientific research is immeasurable. Take a moment to explore the clinical studies on the impact of shockwave therapy and EMTT in pre- and post-surgical settings. After reviewing the summaries, consider following the associated research links below to read the complete studies.
Shockwave Pre-surgery
- Effects of Pre-operative Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Scar Formation-A Pilot Study on 24 Subjects Undergoing Abdominoplasty Surgery, authored by Russe E, Wechselberger G, Schwaiger K, Heinrich K, Hladik M, Traintinger H. published in Lasers Surg Med 2020 Feb;52(2):159-165.
This randomized controlled trial studied the use of ESWT in reducing scar formation in patients undergoing abdominoplasty. Results demonstrated that ESWT influenced improved scar parameters 6- and 12-weeks post-surgery. Findings support shockwaves' potential to enhance post-operative outcomes related to scars. - Finance: A Pain in the Neck, an independent case study by Helen How, DO, details how shockwave was used pre-and post-operatively to support innovative neurosurgery, taking a severely compromised patient from crippling pain and painkillers to a miraculous road to recovery. Refer to the study and our article, A Complex Patient Case: ESWT Paired with Neurosurgery Delivers.
Shockwave Therapy After Surgery
- Retrocalcaneal and Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy: A Retrospective Comparative Study of Surgical Treatment with or Without Perioperative Shockwave and/or Soundwave Therapies and proposed study protocol, by Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH (cand), FAAPSM, FFPM RCPS(G), Ludger Gerdesmeyer, MD, PhD, AAPSM (Hon).
This critical study reveals that calcific and retrocalcaneal Achilles tendinopathy patients who received perioperative Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) or radial pressure wave (RPW) therapy achieved an accelerated return to activity along with impressive rehabilitation scores compared to those who had undergone surgery alone. The findings suggest that ESWT can enhance surgical outcomes, thus supporting its use in post-operative protocols.
EMTT Post Surgery
- Gerdesmeyer, L., Burgkart, R. & Saxena, A. Clavicle Fracture and Triathlon Performance: A Case Report. J Med Case Reports 18, 197 (2024)
Beginning EMTT treatment promptly after a bone fracture benefits outcomes, regardless of whether the patient receives surgical or non-surgical care. This finding could be a crucial complementary therapy to ignite and accelerate healing timelines and enable a quicker return to sports activities for amateur to professional athletes. Less time on the sidelines is a win-win.
EMTT and Shockwave Therapy After Surgery
- Pilot Study Using EMTT and Focused ESWT Post-Surgery on Bone Healing: A Matched Analysis Case-Control Study of Foot and Ankle Procedures by Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH; Lennart Gerdesmeyer; Elizabeth Bondi, DPM, MS; Ludger Gerdesmeyer. MD, PhD; Adam Tenforde, MD; Nicola Maffulli, MD, PhD; Karsten Knobloch, MD.
This study examines the benefits of combining EMTT and ESWT therapy for patients undergoing ankle and foot procedures. Key findings show a significant reduction in pain, accelerated bone healing (visible on X-ray four weeks post-procedure), and a quicker return to activity than the control group. EMTT and ESWT promote osteogenesis and angiogenesis and inhibit osteoclast formation, enhancing bone healing. Because shockwave and EMTT are non-invasive and free of side effects, their potential as standard treatment options for bone healing disorders is evident.
EMTT and Shockwave After Failed Surgery
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Novel Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy with Magnetolith and High-Energy Focused Electromagnetic Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy as Bone Stimulation Therapy for Scaphoid Nonunion, a case report by Knobloch, Karsten FACS, MD, PhD. [LINK PDF]
This case report stands out for recording the first reported utilization of EMTT and ESWT for scaphoid nonunion after failed surgeries. A 31-year-old male patient enduring chronic wrist pain underwent three weekly sessions of combined therapy in March/April 2020. Follow-up CT scans in May 2020 showed remarkable bone healing. This offers new hope to patients and physicians, even after a failed surgical intervention.
While we've shown a sampling of clinical studies supporting shockwave (ESWT/EPAT) and EMTT use in pre-operative and post-operative care, this marks only the beginning. We anticipate more studies on this topic will be published soon. As the frequency of perioperative usage continues to grow, we expect more evidence of improved surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction to be revealed.
Why Offer Pre- and Post-Surgical Shockwave and EMTT?
To recap, offering Shockwave and EMTT allows medical professionals to provide comprehensive care to patients undergoing surgery.
Ensuring your patient is in a healthy pre surgical condition before an operation is integral to exceptional care. Treating your patients with shockwave and EMTT ideally prepares them for the surgery and advancing healing potential post-surgically.
These innovative treatment modalities provide an extraordinary opportunity for medical professionals and patients alike.
Contact us today to speak with one of the experts on the CuraMedix team.
