Does radiofrequency ablation (RFA) epiphysiodesis affect adjacent joint cartilage?
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that epiphysiodesis made with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe procedure that disrupts the growth plate without damaging the adjacent joint articular cartilage.


METHODS
RFA epiphysiodesis was done during 8 min in vivo in 40 growing pig tibia physis. In addition, three tibiae were ablated for 16 min and three more for 24 min. As a burned cartilage reference, six tibiae were ablated on the joint articular cartilage for 8 min. After the procedure, the animals were terminated and the tibiae were harvested. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was done ex vivo to evaluate the joint articular cartilage in all samples. We used T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and water content sequences under a 1.5 T magnetic field.


RESULTS
On the burned articular cartilage, intensity changes were observed at MRI. We found no evidence of articular cartilage damage on the 40 8-min RFA procedures. The tibiae ablated for 16 min and 24 min showed intact joint cartilage.


CONCLUSIONS
Epiphysiodesis using RFA is safe for the adjacent articular cartilage. This study shows that RFA can be done safely in the growing physis of pigs, even with triple duration procedures.
Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Danish Paediatric Orthopaedic Research, Aarhus University Hospital NBG, Aarhus University, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 1A, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. jmshigue@gmail.com.
Juan Manuel
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Shiguetomi-Medina
Department of Children's Orthopaedics, Aarhus University Hospital NBG, Noerrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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O
Rahbek
Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Danish Paediatric Orthopaedic Research, Aarhus University Hospital NBG, Aarhus University, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 1A, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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Abood
The MR Research Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Brendstrupgårdsvej 100, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
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Stødkilde-Jørgensen
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Venustiano Carranza 2045, 78210, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico.
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Ramírez Garcia-Luna
Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Danish Paediatric Orthopaedic Research, Aarhus University Hospital NBG, Aarhus University, Noerrebrogade 44 Building 1A, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.|Department of Children's Orthopaedics, Aarhus University Hospital NBG, Noerrebrogade 44, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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Møller-Madsen
Cartilage damage; Epiphysiodesis; MRI; RFA