The use of radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy in the treatment of urethral urolithiasis in the horse: a preliminary study.
Authors: Verwilghen D, Ponthier J, Van Galen G, Salciccia A, Sandersen C, Serteyn D, Grulke S
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Equine Urethral Calculi Whilst radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is established in equine orthopaedics for soft tissue and bone pathology, this preliminary investigation explored its potential application as a non-invasive alternative to surgery for urethral calculi—a condition traditionally requiring invasive intervention. The research team applied radial ESWT technology to affected horses, leveraging the lithotripsy principles already proven effective in human and small animal urology. Although specific quantitative outcomes are not detailed in the abstract, the work represents an important proof-of-concept that shockwave-induced fragmentation could potentially eliminate or reduce surgical burden in cases of urethral obstruction. For practitioners managing equine urolithiasis, particularly in stallions and geldings where urethral blockage can rapidly become life-threatening, this modality warrants attention as a potential first-line intervention or adjunctive therapy to conventional approaches. Further investigation with larger case series and longer-term follow-up data would be necessary to establish efficacy rates, optimal treatment protocols, and patient selection criteria before wider clinical adoption can be recommended.
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Practical Takeaways
- •ESWT may offer a non-surgical treatment option for horses with urethral stones, potentially reducing the need for invasive surgical intervention.
- •This preliminary work suggests that techniques successfully used in human and canine urology warrant investigation in equine patients with similar conditions.
- •Further research is needed to establish efficacy, safety protocols, and clinical outcomes before widespread adoption in equine practice.
Key Findings
- •Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy was investigated as a potential alternative to surgical treatment for equine urethral calculi.
- •The study represents a preliminary exploration of ESWT's lithotripsy application in equine urology, building on its established use for orthopedic conditions in horses.