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Published in:

01-01-2011 | Original Paper

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy results in healing of full thickness articular cartilage defect

Authors: P. R. J. V. C. Boopalan, Sabareeswaran Arumugam, Abel Livingston, Mira Mohanty, Samuel Chittaranjan

Published in: International Orthopaedics | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) treatment in experimental osteochondral defect healing in a rabbit model. The study was conducted on 12 New Zealand white rabbits. Six rabbits formed the study group and six rabbits the control group. The right knee joints of all 12 animals were exposed and a 3.5-mm diameter osteochondral defect was created in the trochlear groove. The defect was filled with calcium phosphate scaffold. Six animals from the study group were given PEMF of one hour duration once a day for six weeks with set parameters for frequency of 1 Hz, voltage 20 V, sine wave and current ±30 mA. At six weeks the animals were sacrificed and histological evaluation was done using H&E, Safranin O, Maissons trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry for type 2 collagen. The quality of the repair tissue was graded and compared between groups with the Wakitani histological grading scale and a statistical analysis was done. The total histological score was significantly better in the study group (p = 0.002) with regeneration similar to adjacent normal hyaline cartilage. Immunohistochemistry for collagen type II was positive in the study group. PEMF stimulation of osteochondral defects with calcium phosphate scaffold is effective in hyaline cartilage formation. PEMF is a non-invasive and cost effective adjuvant treatment with salvage procedures such as abrasion chondroplasty and subchondral drilling.

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Title: Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy results in healing of full thickness articular cartilage defect
Authors: P. R. J. V. C. Boopalan
Sabareeswaran Arumugam
Abel Livingston
Mira Mohanty
Samuel Chittaranjan
Publication date: 01-01-2011
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: International Orthopaedics / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 0341-2695
Electronic ISSN: 1432-5195
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-010-0994-8

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy results in healing of full thickness articular cartilage defect

Abstract

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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