1. proximal coaptation site
stump
proximal coaptation site
nerve graft
No SW treatment: longitudinal section, right sciatic nerve, rat, 5 days post op, NF AB staining

2. coaptation site prox stump nerve graft
SW treatment: longitudinal section, right sciatic nerve, rat, 5 days post op, NF AB staining

3. Axonal sprouting proximal distal
1,8mm
No SW treatment: longitudinal section, right sciatic nerve, rat, 7 days post op, NF AB staining

4. Axonal sprouting proximal distal
3,5 mm
SW treatment: longitudinal section, right sciatic nerve, rat, 7 days post op, NF AB staining

5. Control  SW treated  NF positive axons are closer to the
coaptation site and
are thinner
SW treated 
NF positive axons
are more distal to
the coaptation site
and are thicker

6. Axonal sprouting rate 1 week after SW application
4,5 4
3,5 3
distance to
2,5
shock wave
dist. suture 2
sham control
in mm
1,5 1
Mean +/- SD
0,5
n= 3/4
1 week
Axonal diameter 1 week after SW application 12 10 8
axonal diameter
in μm
shock wave 6
sham control 4 2
Mean +/- SD
n= 3/4
1 week

7. Conclusion
The results of this nerve transection and repair study in the rat show, that SW treatment immediately after surgery is effective. There is improvement of functional recovery.
This may be due to an increased neural angiogenesis, decreased neural collagenisation and improved axonal sprouting.

8. Thank you Robert Schmidhammer Thomas Hausner Shahin Zandieh
Wolfgang Schaden
Rudolf Hopf
Heinz Redl
Antal Nógrádi