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ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF ARTICULAR CARTILAGE REGENERATION *
Author(s) -
Baker Bruce,
Spadaro Joseph,
Marino Andrew,
Becker Robert O.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1974.tb26815.x
Subject(s) - medicine , administration (probate law) , orthopedic surgery , veterans affairs , surgeon general , gerontology , family medicine , public health , surgery , nursing , political science , law
The fact that bone is stress electrogenic is well ~ubstantiated.~ Becker and colleagues2 have proposed that this property is the biological signal that regulates Wolff's law, whereas others1n2 have observed osteogenic responses to electrical voltages and currents. Becker and Murray3 detected electrical control signal characteristics in fractured long bones. The above findings and the work of Smith,25 which involved the use of galvanic stimulation, led to the use of bimetallic devices in rats by Becker and Spadaro.' Amputated rat extremities at the midhumeral level responded to electrochemical stimulation with partial limb regeneration. The regenerates demonstrated distal growth of an epiphysis and growth plate, with evidence of developing articular cartilage (FIGURE l). It was believed that similar devices might be used to stimulate the regrowth of specific damaged tissues, such as articular cartilage. When joint surfaces are damaged in mammals, the common repair response is to fill the defect with fibr~cartilage.-~~ Some authors have reported limited attempts at repair by proliferation of surviving articular cartilage cell and by metaplasia of marrow element^.^^.^^.^^ The increased biochemical activity of hyaline cartilage cells' Is. subjected to arthritic changes and the proliferation of hyaline cartilage cells in vitro10.14s15.1e support the latter observations. It seemed reasonable, therefore, to attempt to stimulate the repair tissue that responds to articular cartilage defects by electrochemical means. This communication describes preliminary results of attempts at the stimulation of articular cartilage repair by electrical means.