Advances in the mechanism and clinical application of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy for lower urinary tract dysfunction
10.3969/j.issn.1009-8291.2025.12.013
- VernacularTitle:低能量体外冲击波治疗下尿路功能障碍的作用机制与临床应用进展
- Author:
Hao YU
1
;
Zhengsen CHEN
1
;
Zhongqing WEI
1
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210011, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy;
lower urinary tract dysfunction;
overactive bladder;
underactive bladder;
urinary incontinence;
prostatitis;
pain syndrome;
cystitis
- From:
Journal of Modern Urology
2025;30(12):1090-1095
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LiESWT), as a non-invasive physical therapeutic modality, is increasingly recognized for its potential in treating lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). This article systematically explores the potential molecular mechanisms through which LiESWT acts on various types of LUTD, including the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, induction of neovascularization, mobilization and activation of tissue stem cells, regulation of neural regeneration and repair processes, and restoration of lower urinary tract muscle function. It also elaborates the latest therapeutic advances in the application of LiESWT for overactive bladder, underactive bladder, stress urinary incontinence, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. This review also provides an in-depth analysis of the therapeutic efficacy differences associated with various treatment parameters (energy density, number of shocks, treatment frequency, and total sessions), summarizing the challenges currently faced in clinical translation and proposes future research directions and perspectives, so as to offer new feasible ideas for the treatment of LUTD and provide a theoretical basis for clinical practice.
