title: Efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic energy in postoperative recovery from blepharoplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A novel medical device that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration is available for treatment of postsurgical edema. The device emits a low-level, pulsed electromagnetic energy field, which modulates resting cell membrane potential, allowing a return to physiologic resting membrane potential.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the benefits of electromagnetic energy in eyelid wound healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven individuals participated in this randomized, double-blinded study. All patients underwent upper blepharoplasty. At the postoperative visit, patients rated pain, edema, and ecchymosis, and the physician rated edema, ecchymosis, and erythema.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference (p = .76) in patient pain rating when comparing placebo (1.6) with the patch (1.3). Patients reported 6% less edema (p = .11) and 10% less ecchymosis (p = .17) with the active patch eye than in control eye. The physician-graded edema, ecchymosis, and erythema had a mean Likert-type scale difference between placebo and active eyes of -0.3 (p = .12), -0.3 (p = .17), and -0.2 (p = .004) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of pulsed electromagnetic energy did not have an effect on postoperative pain, edema, or ecchymosis as rated by patients and physicians. There was a statistically significant reduction in physician-graded erythema for active patch eyes versus placebo.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, Section of Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ohio University/Doctor's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA. dsp4000@aol.com
authors.forename: Craig N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Czyz
authors.forename: Jill A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Vincent B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: David E E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Holck
authors.forename: Allan E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Wulc
authors.forename: Kenneth V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Cahill
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Everman
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Michels
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019882:Blepharoplasty; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*