THE EFFECT OF PULSING ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELD ON BONE INGROWTH INTO A POROUS-COATED IMPLANT

Electromagnetic stimulation is known to promote bone formation in case s of fracture and pseudoarthrosis. The possibility of using electromag netic field to promote bone ingrowth into a porous coated implant was investigated in this study using Japanese albino rabbits. A titanium i mplant coated with beads of 250-300 mu m in diameter around a stent of 1.7 mm in diameter was inserted into the humerus cavity of a Japanese albino rabbit. The humerus was stimulated by pulsing electromagnetic fields at 2 Gauss, 10Hz, 25 mu sec for 14 days. The circumference of g rown bone into the implant was measured, and calculated in area equiva lent for determination of the area of new bone. Bone ingrowth was sign ificantly promoted by consecutive 14 days. The result suggests that el ectromagnetic stimulation is useful for acheiving further bone ingrowt h into a porous coated implant.