title: Monitoring of Biological Changes in Electromechanical Reshaping of Cartilage Using Imaging Modalities.
abstract: Electromechanical reshaping (EMR) is a promising surgical technique used to reshape cartilage by direct current and mechanical deformation. It causes local stress relaxation and permanent alterations in the shape of cartilage. The major advantages of EMR are its minimally invasive nature and nonthermal electrochemical mechanism of action. The purpose of this study is to validate that EMR does not cause thermal damage and to observe structural changes in post-EMR cartilage using several imaging modalities. Three imaging modality metrics were used to validate the performance of EMR by identifying structural deformation during cartilage reshaping: infrared thermography was used to sense the temperature of the flat cartilages (16.7°C at 6 V), optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to examine the change in the cartilage by gauging deformation in the tissue matrix during EMR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to show that EMR-treated cartilage is irregularly arranged and the thickness of collagen fibers varies, which affects the change in shape of the cartilage. In conclusion, the three imaging modalities reveal the nonthermal and electromechanical mechanisms of EMR and demonstrate that use of an EMR device is feasible for reshaping cartilage in a minimally invasive manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, 7 Keunjaebong-gil, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 18450, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Dankook University, 119 Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, Chungnam 31116, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Minseok
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2241-8569
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine, 1002 Health Sciences Rd., Irvine, CA 92612, USA.
authors.forename: Connie J
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2078-1468
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Dankook University, 119 Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, Chungnam 31116, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sehwan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5491-3732
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004423:Ear / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004598:Electrosurgery; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011817:Rabbits; D013696:Temperature; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence