The effect of the radiofrequency ablation on the healing of experimental mechanical damage, formed in the synovium, menisci, and fat body in the rat knee joints was analyzed in this paper. To generate a cold plasma the bipolar radiofrequency electrode “CoVac 50 Wand” of apparatus ‘Atlas’ (ArthroCare, USA), applied in modes 3 (150 V, 68 W) and 6 (225 V, 160 W) was used. The results of the healing of the spontaneous regeneration and after cold ablation monitored within 3 and 6 weeks after the injury were presented. Dimensionless surface factor, estimated volume of the regeneration, and numerical density of cells was used to prove morphologically the beneficial effect of radiofrequency ablation. As a result, the optimal effect of this impact procedure was shown in respect of the restoration of meniscus defects in mode of 6 (225 V, 160 W) and the restoration of synovium and fat body defects in mode of 3 (150 V, 68 W). It was recommended the treatment of fat body by gentle way. It was shown that the phenomenon of «smoothing-maker» doesn’t typical for the soft tissues, and coblative processing even in an optimal mode only contributes to the formation of a thin scar in the place of tissue defects.
hyaline cartilage, meniscus, fat body, synovium, radiofrequency ablation, morphology
1. Zhulikov A.L., Malanin D.A., Novochadov V.V. Primenenie kholodnoplazmennoy ablatsii dlya vos-stanovleniya povrezhdennykh sustavnykh poverkhnostey: model´nye ispytaniya. Vestnik novykh med. tekhnologiy. 2009. T. 16. №3. S. 104–105.
2. Malanin D.A., Zhulikov A.L., Novochadov V.V. Morfologicheskaya kharakteristika regeneratov posle kholodnoplazmennoy obrabotki eksperemental´nykh nepolnosloynykh povrezhdeniy gialinovogo khryashcha. Vest-nik VolGU. Seriya 11: Estestvennye nauki. 2011. №2. S. 8–16.
3. Orletskiy A.K., Ezeev A.R. Sravnitel´naya otsenka ispol´zovaniya vysokochastotnoy ablatsii pri povrezhde-nii kapsul´no-svyazochnogo apparata kolennogo sustava u sportsmenov. Med. pomoshch´. 2008. №4. S. 22–27.
4. Debridment with an arthroscopic radiofrequence wand versus an arthroscopic shaver: somparative effects on menisci and underlying articular cartilage / Allen T.R., Tasto J.P., Cummings J. [et al.]. Arthroscopy. 2006. N4. P. 385
5. Amiel D., Ball S.T., Tasto J.P. Chondrocyte viability and metabolic activity after treatment of bovine articular cartilage with bipolar radiofrequency: an in vitro study. Arthroscopy. 2004. Vol. 5. P. 503–510.
6. An Y.H., Martin K.L. Handbook of histology methods for bone and cartilage. N.-Y.: Humana Press, 2003. 587 p.
7. Impact of monopolar radiofrequency energy on sub-chondral bone viability / Balcarek P., Kuhn A., Weigel A. [et al.]. Knee Surg. Sports Traumatol. Arthrosc. 2010. Vol. 18. N5. P. 673–680.
8. Comparison of radiofrequency treatment and mechanical debridement of fibrillated cartilage in an equine model / Edwards R.B., Lu Y., Cole B.J. [et al.]. Vet. Comp. Orthop. Traumatol. 2008. Vol. 21. N1. P. 41–48.
9. Histopomorphic evaluation of radiofrequency mediated débridement chondroplasty / Ganguly K., McRury I.D., Goodwin P.M. [et al.]. Open Orthop. J. 2010. N4. P. 211–220.
10. Horstman C.L., McLaughlin R.M. The use of radiofrequency energy during arthroscopic surgery and its effects on intraarticular tissues. Vet. Comp. Orthop. Traumatol. 2006. Vol. 19. N2. P. 65–71.
11. Ex vivo comparison of mechanical versus thermal chondroplasty: assessment of tissue effect at the surgical endpoint. / Lotto M.L., Wright E.J., Appleby D. [et al.]. Arthroscopy. 2008. Vol. 24. N4. P. 410–415
12. Outcomes of mechanical debridement and radiofre-quency ablation in the treatment of chondral defects: a prospective randomized study / Richard W., Kang W., Andreas H. [et al.]. Knee Surg. 2008. Vol. 28. P. 116–121.
13. Arthroscopic knee chondroplasty using a bipolar radiofrequency-based device compared to mechanical shaver: results of a prospective, randomized, controlled study / Spahn G., Kahl E., Muckley T. [et al.]. Knee Surg. Sports Traumatol. Arthrosc. 2008. Vol. 16. P. 565–573.
14. Cartilage repair: past and future – lessons for regenerative medicine / Van Osch G.J., Brittberg M., Dennis J.E. [et al.]. J. Cell Mol. Med. 2009. Vol. 13. N5. P. 792–810.
15. Zoric B.B., Horn N., Braun S., Millett P.J. Factors in-fluencing intra-articular fluid temperature profiles with radiofrequency ablation. J. Bone Joint Surg. Am. 2009. Vol. 91. N10. P. 2448–2454.
16. Khadartsev A.A., Yashin A.A., Es´kov V.M., Agarkov N.M., Kobrinskiy B.A., Frolov M.V., Chukhraev A.M., Gondarev S.N., Khromushin V.A., Kamenev L.I., Valentinov B.G., Agarkova D.I. Informatsionnye tekhnologii v meditsine. Monografiya. Tula: TulGU, 2006. 272 s.
