The quantification of bone tissue regeneration after electromagnetic stimulation.

In this study a titanium implant, the bone harvest chamber (BHC), was used to evaluate the effect of electromagnetic stimulation on osteogenesis. The BHC was inserted with a minimum of surgical trauma in the proximal tibial metaphysis in six adult lop-eared rabbits. Bone anchorage occurred after 4 weeks. After implant incorporation bone tissue was harvested at 3-week intervals with the implant in situ without killing the animal. The regenerated bone tissue was analysed by means of microradiography and densitometry. A test group and a control group each comprised six rabbits. The test group was stimulated with a 72-Hz electromagnetic field. Bone tissue was harvested from each tibia six times during the stimulation time and twice after the stimulation had been turned off. The control group had the same harvest procedure performed from one leg. Results showed that electromagnetic stimulation can maintain constant high osteogenetic activity. After the electromagnetic stimulation was turned off the osteogenetic activity diminished rapidly and osteogenesis was significantly lower than during stimulation.