Exploring Intensity-Dependent Echogenic Response to Percutaneous Electrolysis in Tendon Tissue: A Cadaveric Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Musculoskeletal Ultrasound
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Percutaneous electrolysis (PE) is an emerging treatment for tendinopathies, using galvanic current to stimulate tissue repair.
• Current PE dosing lacks objective physiological feedback, hindering optimal treatment application.
• Quantitative ultrasound offers a potential method for assessing tissue response to PE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the echogenic changes in cadaveric tendon tissue induced by varying galvanic current intensities during percutaneous electrolysis.
• To establish a correlation between applied current intensity and quantitative ultrasound parameters.

Main Methods:

• An ex vivo study utilized 29 cadaveric patellar tendon samples.
• Samples were subjected to single-intensity galvanic current applications (0-10 mA for 1 s).
• Quantitative ultrasound analysis and extraction of echogenic variables were performed post-intervention using UZ eDosifier software.

Main Results:

• An intensity-dependent echogenic response was observed in key ultrasound parameters.
• Minimal changes occurred below 2 mA, with a progressive response between 2-6 mA.
• A plateau effect was noted above 6 mA, possibly due to tissue saturation or acoustic shadowing. The composite Electrolysis_UZ_Dose variable showed a strong correlation with applied intensity (R² = 0.732).

Conclusions:

• Percutaneous electrolysis demonstrates an intensity-dependent echogenic effect on tendon tissue, measurable by quantitative ultrasound parameters.
• The findings suggest potential for objective ultrasound-guided dosing in PE therapy for tendinopathies.
• Further validation is required before extrapolating these experimental findings to clinical practice due to study limitations.