Low dose of continuous – wave microwave irradiation did not cause temperature increase in muscles tissue adjacent to titanium alloy implants – an animal study

BACKGROUND: Research studies on the influence of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on implants in vitro have failed to investigate temperature changes in the tissues adjacent to the implants under microwave therapy. We therefore, used a rabbit model in an effort to determine the impact of microwave therapy on temperature changes in tissues adjacent to the titanium alloy implants and the safety profile thereof. METHODS: Titanium alloy internal fixation plates were implanted in New Zealand rabbits in the middle of femur. Microwave therapy was performed by a 2450 MHz microwave generator 3 days after the surgery. Temperature changes of muscles adjacent to the implants were recorded under exposure to dose-gradient microwave radiation from 20w to 60w. RESULTS: Significant difference between control and microwave treatment group at peak temperatures (T(peak)) and temperature gap (T(gap=) T(peak)-T(vally)) were observed in deep muscles (T(peak), 41.63 ± 0.21°C vs. 44.40 ± 0.17°C, P < 0.01; T(gap), 5.33 ± 0.21°C vs. 8.10 ± 0.36°C, P < 0.01) and superficial muscles (T(peak), 41.53 ± 0.15°C vs. 42.03 ± 0.23°C, P = 0.04; T(gap), 5.23 ± 0.21°C vs. 5.80 ± 0.17°C, P = 0.013) under 60 w, and deep muscles (T(peak), 40.93 ± 0.25°C vs. 41.87 ± 0.23°C, P = 0.01; T(gap), 4.73 ± 0.20°C vs. 5.63 ± 0.35°C, P = 0.037) under 50w, but not under 20, 30 and 40w. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that low-dose (20w-40w) continuous-wave microwave irradiation delivered by a 2450 MHz microwave generator might be a promising treatment for patients with titanium alloy internal fixation, as it did not raise temperature in muscle tissues adjacent to the titanium alloy implant.