BestFokus - Ballistically generated focused shock waves for pain therapy with neurophysiological monitoring

Chronic myofascial pain refers to diseases of the soft tissues of the human musculoskeletal system, which are very common and often significantly impair the patient for months.

Extracorporeal (externally applied) shock wave therapy (ESWT) shows very good results as a non-invasive treatment for these clinical pictures. Focused shock waves are required to treat deeper areas in a targeted manner while sparing the epidermis (outer skin layer) or inflamed fascia from shock wave stimulation.

However, it is difficult to hit the exact treatment area with the focal point, which is only a few millimetres in size, so that successful treatment depends heavily on the user. This project therefore aims to develop a novel, targeted treatment based on neurophysiological monitoring. During treatment, signals from the patient's electroencephalogram (EEG) will provide feedback on which sensitive nerve fibers of the skin and deeper structures are stimulated by the shock waves. In combination with the selection of suitable attachment devices for optimal sound coupling, the target tissue can be determined more precisely, enabling more successful and gentler treatment. The combination of neurophysiological monitoring with the application of focused shock wave treatment is not possible with existing devices, as these are based on high voltage, which would produce excessive artifacts in the EEG. A further project objective is therefore to develop a focusing option for ballistically generated shock waves that are based purely on compressed air without causing interference in the EEG.

The combination of focused shock wave treatment and monitoring is expected to make the therapy more tolerable and, above all, more effective.

Partners

  • Chair of Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University
  • Hamburg University of Applied Sciences

Funding

as part of the funding measure "KMU-innovativ: Medizintechnik"

(Project term: 02/2023 - 01/2026)

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