Investigation into the effects of static and electric fields on bone healing process: An experimental tibial fracture model study in Wistar-Albino male rats

OBJECTIVE: In this experimental study, we aimed to investigate whether 0 Hz-Static and 50 Hz-Electric fields have an effect on bone healing. METHODS: In this study, 45 male Wistar-Albino rats were equally and randomly separated into three groups as follows: a 0 Hz-Static electric field (SEF), a 50-Hz low-frequency electric field (LFEF) and a control group. A manual fracture was performed in the left tibia diaphysis of all rats, and fractures were fixed using circular plaster over the knee. The LFEF group was exposed to 50 Hz electric field for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, for a total of eight weeks. The SEF group was exposed to 0 Hz electric field within the same time interval. The control group was held in identical environmental conditions, without exposure to electric field. Periodic radiographs were taken from all the animals. At the end of this study, rats were sacrificed and mechanical/histopathologic examinations were performed. RESULTS: Radiologic, mechanical and histologic scores of the LFEF group were lower than those of the SEF and control groups; however, no significant difference was found in group comparisons in terms of average histologic and radiologic scores (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Results extracted from the current study suggest that 0-hz static and 50-hz electric field exposures affect bone healing tissue of tibial fracture models in rats, although it is not significant.