Effects of high-energy shockwaves on normal human fibroblasts in suspension.

To gain insight in the effects of shockwaves on human cells the relationship between the energy density and the number of shockwaves as well as their effect on suspensions of normal cells was studied. At energy densities of 0.37, 0.6, 0.78, and 1.20 mJ/mm2 fibroblasts were subjected to 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 shockwaves. Each test was performed three times and one sample was used as control. A decrease in viability related to the logarithm of both the number (P = 0.0000) and the energy density (P = 0.001) of the shockwaves was statistically demonstrable 1 hr after the shockwave application. The energy density of the shockwaves has less influence on the viability than the number of applied shockwaves. Seeding of viable cells 1 hr after the shockwave application showed that the decrease in the 48-hr growth potential was statistically dependent of the number of applied shockwaves only (P = 0.0007). After 24 hr no difference in the 48-hr growth potential could be demonstrated between viable shockwave-treated cells and control cells. The literature as well as our own investigations in vitro and in vivo indicate that shockwaves have a logarithmic dose-dependent destructive effect on cells in suspension, but they also seem to have a dose-dependent stimulating influence on the healing process in damaged tissues. Due to the logarithmic relationship between the viability and both the number and energy density of the applied shockwaves it might be expected that even excessive numbers of high-energy-density shockwaves don't soon lead to total destruction of all cells in the suspension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)