Animal study on lysing adipose tissues by shock waves

Extracorporeal shock wave lipotripsy is proposed to be a new non-invasive technology for rapturing fat cells, since raptured fat cells can be metabolized via the circulatory system of human beings. In this study, a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) needle-type pressure sensor was used to detect the focused shock wave profile and to measure its pressure in water and in adipose tissue at different operational voltages of 6-10 kV. The corresponding energy flux density was also calculated. Six-month-old male of New Zealand rabbits and two-month-old of LanYu pigs were used for the experiments. After shock wave administration, the tested adipose tissues were inspected by eye for physiological changes and side effects. After the visual examination, the tested animal was euthanized, and the tested adipose tissues were microscopically examined for pathological changes. Through these animal experiments, it was concluded that at least 600 trials of shock waves were required for rapturing fat cells under the condition of an energy flux density of 0.112 mJ/mm 2 in a focal area. A minor side effect of the administration of shock waves of this magnitude is slight hemorrhaging in the skin layer, which can be healed within one week.