Effects of low-energy NMR on posttraumatic osteoarthritis: observations in a rabbit model

To evaluate a possible beneficial effect of low-energy nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on cartilage in moderate and severe posttraumatic osteoarthrosis in the rabbit using a macroscopic and a histological grading system.

Following transection of the anterior cruciate ligament of both knees in 24 skeletally mature New Zealand White rabbits, we observed different stages of osteoarthrosis (OA) 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Animals were randomized into four groups: Group 1 (eight animals) was treated after 6 weeks by NMR (magnetic field: 20-40 G, interference field: 2.35 mT, 100 kHz; MBST Device, MedTec, Germany), with 1 h of treatment for seven consecutive days. Group 2 was treated in the same pattern after 12 weeks. The sham-operated groups 3 and 4 received no treatment. Seven days after the last treatment, OA was macroscopically graded and hyaline cartilage of the load bearing area was evaluated histologically according to the Mankin scale.

Macroscopically, there was less OA in group 1 (p < 0.01), but did not reveal significance in group 2 (p = 0.11) compared to the sham groups. There was no significant difference in the Mankin score in both of the treated groups compared to the control groups (group 1: p = 0.36; group 2: p = 0.81).

The results showed some beneficial macroscopic effect in mild OA with less macroscopic OA signs in the treated animals but without a histological effect in the Mankin scale. There was no effect found in the pattern later OA. On behalf of these results, NMR for the treatment of posttraumatic OA cannot be recommended at this point of time.