A REVOLUTIONARY machine for treating orthopaedic injuries without surgery has been tried out at Burnley General Hospital.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Gunther Schmitgen heard about the lithotripter from contacts in his native Germany and managed to secure the £80,000 equipment on a trial basis in Burnley. The only other machine in Britain is at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

He has used it to treat injuries to soft tissue where it attaches to the bone, such as tennis or golf elbow and heel spur.

The machine arrived at Burnley in August and during its trial period was used to treat about 300 patients with a success rate of more than 80 per cent.

The traditional treatment for such injuries involves expensive cortisone injections, physiotherapy and possible surgery - but that is only 50 per cent successful. Mr Schmitgen said: "The modified lithotripter smashes stones and it was first used to smash kidney stones into small pieces so they can pass through the body. For the last eight years it has been used to treat orthopaedic conditions."

The treatment takes 10-15 minutes and is administered at three to four week intervals. Most people need three treatments but some are better after two and others need four. Retired plumber Stewart Heaton, 52, of Dalesway Park, Salterforth, suffers with a heel injury. He said: "I think it is marvellous. I had to get injections but in the long term it didn't work.

"I am hoping this will work and I will be back in three to four weeks to complete the treatment. It is improving and it is starting to itch under the skin so I think it must be working."

An ultrasound scanner is attached so the consultant can ensure the pulses are going to the source of the trouble.

Mr Schmitgen, who attended a training course in Germany, added: "I am now negotiating with two firms to arrange a machine on a contract hire basis."

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