Collagen production and maturation at the experimental ligament defect stimulated by pulsing electromagnetic fields in rabbits.

Eighty rabbits receiving the square resection (4 x 4 mm) of both patellar ligaments in full thickness at their center were divided into 4 groups, and each group (20 rabbits) were electromagnetically stimulated with different magnetic intensities, 0 (control group), 2, 10, or 50 gauss (G), for 6 hr daily. Pulse frequency and pulse width were 10 Hz and 25 microseconds, respectively. Five animals of each group were sacrificed weekly from 1st to 4th week after operation and the defect tissue was collected for biochemical and ultrastructural evaluations. Before sacrificing, the blood flow of the central portion of patellar defects were measured. Significant increases in blood flow at the defect were observed in 50 G group compared to those of other groups from 2 to 4 weeks after operation. The collagen content in PEMFs groups showed a significant increase compared to that of control group. Furthermore, those increases were higher according to the increase in magnetic intensity. Electronmicroscopically, massive developmental rough endoplasmic reticulum was seen in the fibroblasts at 2 weeks after operation in 50 G group compared to other groups, which suggests the more active collagen production in this group. These results suggest that PEMFs enhanced the blood flow and increased the fibroblasts at the defect. At the same time, PEMFs directly stimulated the collagen production from the fibroblasts, thus accelerate the healing process of the ligament.