Method for using acoustic shock waves for bone grafting

Abstract

A method of treating a human or animal is provided. The method includes: locating a treatment site; providing bone grafting material at the treatment site; and generating one or more acoustic shock waves. The method also includes grafting the bone grafting material to existing bone material in the human or animal by applying to the treatment site the generated one or more acoustic shock waves.

1 . A method of treating a human or animal, the method comprising: 
 locating a treatment site;    providing bone grafting material at the treatment site.    generating one or more acoustic shock waves; and    grafting the bone grafting material to existing bone material in the human or animal by applying to the treatment site a generated one or more acoustic shock waves.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more acoustic shock waves comprises activating a shock wave generator to emit one or more acoustic shock waves.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment site is associated with fractured bone material or missing bone material.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment site is associated with pseudarthrosis.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a range of a number of the generated one or more acoustic shock waves applied is approximately 1000 to 8000 per treatment.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a range of a number of the generated one or more acoustic shock waves applied is approximately 800 to 4000 per treatment.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a number of the generated one or more acoustic shock waves applied is approximately 2450 per treatment.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a time period wherein the generated one or more acoustic shock waves is applied is approximately 45 to 60 minutes per treatment.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a time period wherein the generated one or more acoustic shock waves is applied is approximately 30 to 40 minutes per treatment.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a range of a frequency at which the generated one or more acoustic shock waves is applied is approximately 0.5 to 4.0 shock waves per second.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the generated one or more acoustic shock waves has an average rise time of approximately 33 nanoseconds and an average pulse width of approximately 280 nanoseconds.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 recasting the treatment site; and    treating the treatment site as a location of a fresh fracture.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein prior to the locating the treatment site, the human or animal was treated through osteosynthesis.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more acoustic shock waves comprises applying a voltage potential ranging from about 14 kilovolts to about 28 kilovolts across a spark gap of a spark gap generator to generate the one or more acoustic shock waves.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more acoustic shock waves comprises applying a voltage potential ranging from about 18 kilovolts to about 28 kilovolts across a spark gap of a spark gap generator to generate the one or more acoustic shock waves.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying to the treatment site a sufficient number of the generated one or more acoustic shock waves to induce micro-injury and to induce or promote vascularized bone grafting.