Comparison of electromagnetic field stimulation on the healing of small and large intestinal anastomoses

PURPOSE: Magnetic fields have been shown to affect biologic processes. Acco rdingly, an experimental study was designed to investigate the effect of el ectromagnetic field stimulation on intestinal healing and to compare small and large intestinal anastomoses. METHODS: An ileal or a colonic anastomosi s was constructed in rats. Beginning the day after surgery, randomly assign ed groups were exposed to sinusoidal electromagnetic field stimulation of 1 0.76-mT intensity and 50-Hz frequency, with 2-hour-on/10-hour-off cycles. A fter seven days, intestinal anastomoses were assessed for hydroxyproline co ntent and breaking strength. Statistical comparison between each experiment al and control group yielded significance (P < 0.05) in all cases. RESULTS: Hydroxyproline content increased significantly in ileum from 1.650 +/- 0.1 1 (mean standard error of the mean) to 2.036 +/- 0.11 <mu>g/mg (P = 0.0249) and in colon from 1.526 +/- 0.11 to 1.922 +/- 0.11 mug/mg (P = 0.0135). Br eaking strength also increased significantly in ileum from 0.213 +/- 0.01 t o 0.255 +/- 0.01 MPa (P = 0.001) and in colon from 0.227 +/- 0.01 to 0.270 +/- 0.01 MPa (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Electromagnetic field stimulation pr ovided a significant gain in anastomotic healing in both small and large in testine. There were no apparent differences detected between the healing of small and large intestinal anastomoses except for slight differences in th e tune sequences of events and magnitude. The study demonstrated a signific ant increase in both biochemical and mechanical parameters. Additional inve stigations are needed to determine optimal conditions and promote selective biologic responses.