The Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Post Burn Scars

Clinical Use of the Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Pathological Post Burn Scars

A prospective, randomized, controlled study. The patients were divided into two groups with twenty patients per group. The control group received the standard treatment for postburn scars. The treatment group received the standard treatment and treatment of postburn scars with Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy 512 impulses of 0.15mJ/mm 2 in each session, twice per week for 4 weeks.

The investigators assessed the appearance of scar with the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), pruritus and pain with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before the start of the treatment and at 2 weeks and 5 months after the treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with hypertrophic post burn scars of approximately 64 cm2 surface area.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients younger than 18 year.
• Pregnant women.
• Having a known skin condition (e.g. psoriasis, skin cancer etc.).
• Immunosuppression.
• Hemophilia .
• Matured scars.
• Scars located above the lungs, the bowels, the gonads or electronic implants.