title: The effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on the osteointegration of hydroxyapatite implants in cancellous bone: a morphologic and microstructural in vivo study.
abstract: Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs, 75 Hz. 1.6 mT) were investigated in 12 rabbits after placing hydroxyapatite (HA) implants in their femoral condyles. Six animals were stimulated with PEMFs for three consecutive weeks, 6 h/day, while the remaining animals were sham-treated (Control Group). Rabbits were sacrificed at 3 and 6 weeks (after a 3-week non-stimulation period) for histomorphometric analysis and microhardness testing (at 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 microm from the implant) around the implants. Histomorphometric analysis did not highlight any significant changes. On the contrary, there were statistically significant differences between the effects produced by PEMFs and Control Groups (F = 149.70, p < 0.0005) on the Affinity Index results, as well as by the experimental time of 6 and 3 weeks (F = 17.12, p = 0.001) on the same results. In PEMF-stimulated animals the microhardness (HV) values measured in trabecular bone at a distance of 200 and 500 microm from the implants, were significantly higher with respect to controls. At 6 weeks, HV values at the bone-implant interface in PEMF-stimulated animals were not significantly different with respect to normal bone, while they remained significantly lower in control animals. Both morphological and structural results demonstrated a positive therapeutic effect of PEMFs in accelerating HA osteointegration in trabecular bone.
authors.affiliation: milena.fini@ior.it
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fini
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cadossi
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Canè
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cavani
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giavaresi
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krajewski
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: Nicolo Nicoli
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Aldini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravaglioli
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rimondini
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torricelli
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giardino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017886:Durapatite; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016348:Osseointegration; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D017886:Durapatite