title: Is diathermy safe in women with copper-bearing IUDs?
abstract: Ultrasound and short-wave diathermy are widely used in physiotherapy to induce heating of deep tissues, since this causes a concomitant increase in local blood flow. A metallic implant in the treated field is generally regarded as a contra-indication to diathermy because of the risk of thermodamage to surrounding tissues. It is not certain, however, if copperbearing IUDs contain sufficient metal as to constitute a risk. In order to exclude the possibility that diathermy might lead to intra-uterine burns in women using copperbearing IUDs a technique was devised of measuring temperatures in the copper wire of an IUD in situ during short-wave an ultrasonic therapy. The results indicate diathermy to be perfectly safe in women whit copper-bearing IUDs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Tønder Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heick
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Espersen
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raahauge
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D000075202:Contraindications; D003972:Diathermy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007435:Intrauterine Devices, Copper; D008875:Middle Aged; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy; D014599:Uterus / Q000502:physiology