The mechanism of tendon healing has been a controversial issue. Although there seems to be a dipolarizing opinion regarding the tendon healing, it is well known to us that the tendon has both intrinsic and extrinsic healing capacity which has proved in vivo and in vitro studies.
Tendon adhesion is a common sequelia after tendon repair, particularly after the long period of immobilization. This can be explained by one wound concept or extrinsic tendon healing.
If we can modify the natural healing process of the tendon by augmenting the intrinsic capacity, we can reduce the period of immobilization to allow early motion for better gliding.
In this study, we used the electrical stimulation technique, which has been known to have good growth stimulatory effect on the living cells, to investigate its effect on tendon healing in organic culture for 6 weeks.
Total 64 flexor tendons were harvested from 8 rabbit paws and they were cultured in separate petri-dishes.: 32 tendons were used for the control group and the rest 32 were used for the electric stimulation group.
Tendons through which a continuous 7 ,Amp current was passed at the repair site were compared with the non stimulated controls.
In reference to the histologic study with Hematoxylin & Eosin stain and van Gieson stain, the following results were obtained.
1. There was found no necrosis in the specimens of the control as well as the electrical stimulation group during 6 weeks culture period.
2. Starting from 1 week, there was prominent increase of fibroblastic proliferation and collagen production in electrical stimulation group and these active repair processes persisted up to 6 weeks.
Accordingly, I conclude that the intrinsic tendon healing capacity can be enhanced by the electrical stimulation in vitro.
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