Shockwaves for Dupuytren's, Ledderhose and related conditions

Recently I came into contact with a gentleman at Cell Sonic, they manufacture the equipment used to treat with Shock-Waves. This is an interesting treatment which has very little documented evidence. My gut says that this is a treatment that is worth a try. From what I have read it appears that there is very little to lose in terms of side effects or aggravating the condition but it could potentially help. Really what is need is a bigger and better study than the one I discussed before. 

Anyway the guy that I spoke to is extremely passionate about this technology and it was clear to me that he really thought that it could be a great way to treat many different problems. 

Below is a copy of some information that I received from CellSonic and have published with their full permission. If there are any doctors that are interested in using this treatment then please get in touch. I have been told it is a diverse piece of equipment and that it would pay for itself without even taking into account the conditions I am interested in. Then again the person selling it is of course going to say that. 

Doing a bit of research and a quick search of PubMed certainly shows that there is a lot of information out there and it has been used to treat scar tissue and many other conditions. 

http://www.cellsonic-medical.com/cellsonic.htm

Dupuytren's contracture can be almost totally cured using CellSonic’s electro-hydraulic shockwaves. This is a non-invasive, drug free treatment that takes about five minutes. Sudden bursts of sound are directed into the palm and fingers to loosen the tightening cells pulling the fingers. The vital characteristic of a shockwave is that from zero decibels to high must happen in a few nanoseconds. To achieve that, CellSonic flashes 25,000 volts across a one millimeter gap inside water and the sound wave projected through gel into the hand which is also acting as water. The fast moving sound wave hits the tightened cord and stretches it. Moreover, it activates stem cells to migrate to the site because through the nerves the brain has detected a problem and is  instructing white blood cells to make a repair. The patient will feel the shockwaves and it will be uncomfortable, some would say painful, but do tolerate it because the nerves are sending a necessary message to the brain. An anesthetic would block that message and the immune system will not be activated. The fastest rise time of decibels is achieved with the CellSonic machine so fewer shocks and fewer treatments are needed. The recommendation is for 1,000 shocks at energy level 5 using a shock head focused at 5 mm. Aim the shocks on the area of the palm and the fingers where the tightening is apparent, keeping the shock head sliding gently around on the gel. If another treatment will help, do it two weeks after the first. Improvements are still taking place a year after the last treatment. This is because the shockwaves are causing new cells to grow thanks to the stem cells. Dupuytren's contracture involves similar cell damage to that experienced with plantar fasciitis, Ledderhose Disease and Peyronie’s disease. They can all be treated with the same protocol described above except Peyronies needs fewer shocks at lower energy level.

There are no side effects and that has been proved over the last 40 years because the same technology has been used with much more powerful machines to break kidney stones and millions of patients have been treated without side effects. Other applications with shockwaves include healing wounds because they kill infection, repairing broken bone, treating sports injuries and releasing pain. In Germany, CellSonic shockwaves are being used to reduce cellulite and this will soon be marketed in other countries.

The shockwaves will do two things. Firstly they will damage, soften, loosen and release the tightening tendons and cells which are causing pain and problems. This is an alternative to the scalpel which certainly has side effects.

Secondly, the immune system is triggered because the brain senses that the body has been attacked. It is the immune system that causes new cells to grow and that is achieved by causing stem cells to be released by the pelvic bone where they are stored. It has been shown that zapping the pelvic bone is helpful.

The distributor who can arrange for doctors to try the machine is:

Mark Wilson, Managing Director

Cellsonic Ltd

M            07794822295

E              mark@cellsonic-medical.com

W            www.cellsonic-medical.com

T              @cellsonicESWT

F              https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cellsonic-Ltd/382099131900991

Laser treatment Plantar fibroma patient from USA

Today I have an interview with a plantar fibroma patient from the USA, she has undergone laser therapy and shares her results so far....

1) Do you have Dupuytren’s and /or Plantar fibromatosis?

Just Plantar Fibromatosis

2) How old were you when you first noticed the fibroma?

67

3) Where are you from and do you consider yourself to have any of the common risk factors?

I was born in Butler, PA., USA of Scotch, Irish, German decent.

I have none of the known risk factors.

4) What treatment options were you initially offered?

I was referred to a foot surgeon who told me that there was very little successful treatment for this condition. He told me that neither he nor his patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery or cortisone injections. 

He was working in conjunction with the University of Arizona researching the use of laser in the treatment of neuroma and was having some success. He thought that fibromas might also respond to laser treatment and asked if I would be interested in giving it a try. Faced with the other treatment options that seemed to not work, I chose to undergo the laser treatment he suggested.

5) How was the laser treatment?

The treatment was for a fibroma on my right arch which looked remarkably like the photo you posted of yours.  I received 14 laser treatments between July 27, 2013 and February 14, 2014.  Each treatment lasted approximately 14 minutes and only about 2 minutes involved moderate pain.  The first 10 treatments were one week apart.  The final 4 were approx.. 1 month apart.  In mid-October (part way through the laser treatment) we decided to include Verapamil Gel Therapy as part of my treatment plan.

At this point I was part way through the laser treatments and it seemed like it was working.  When Dr. Bocian suggested and explained the addition of verapamil gel, I trusted his opinion that this was a reasonable course of action for me.  

I had developed 3 very small nodules on my left foot, but they were not bothering me in any way so they have not been treated with the laser.

I used the gel 2 times per day on both feet and Dr. Bocian would apply it to my right arch fibroma immediately preceding the laser.  So the Verapamil was used 7 times with the laser on my right foot.  I continued to use the Verapamil gel on both feet 2 times per day for 9 months from October through June.  This concluded my treatment.

Today the nodules on my left foot remain small and asymptomatic, and the laser treated fibroma on my right foot cannot be seen and can barely be felt.  The pain is gone.  Occasionally I experience a very mild discomfort (where the restructured tissue of the fibroma is) with weather changes (we have no idea why this would be) or if I wear shoes with a high or padded arch.  The discomfort disappears when I change shoes or the storm front passes. I currently walking 7,000 – 8,000 steps a day and I attend 3 aerobic fitness classes a week.  All in all, I am very happy with the outcome of my treatment from Dr. Bocian.

As a side note – The laser treatments have not been approved to treat fibroma, so my health insurance covered none of the expenses.  The cost of the Verapamil Gel was $790.00.   I filed a request with my health insurance carrier to cover the Verapamil Gel and was denied.  I filed an appeal, since they did cover the use of Verapamil for other ailments.  There was much sarcastic laughter around our house the day I got the letter from them stating that they were going to reimburse me 22 cents for the sterile water used in the compounding of the gel !