| Background: Osteomyelitis is a challenging for orthopaedic surgeons due to its protracted treatment process.Microwave(MW)could increase blood perfusion due to its thermal effect.Furthermore,Microwave have demonstrated significant bactericidal effects in vitro.In the present study,we assumed that the application of MW together with systemic antibiotic treatment will provide synergy for the treatment of acute osteomyelitis,and we investigated the role of MW on the acute tibial osteomyelitis by rat experiment.Methods: The medullary cavity of the right tibiae was contaminated with 107 CFU methicillin-sensitive S.aureus(MSSA-ATCC 29213)in 40 rats,and the rats were randomly divided into four groups accordingly to the treatments: group I,saline(control);group II,saline + MW therapy;group Ⅲ,systemic cefuroxime;group Ⅳ,systemic cefuroxime + MW.MW was applied for 20 minutes per day to the infected limbs and all rats were sacrificed at the 7th day.The severity of tibial osteomyelitis was assessed by quantitative culture analysis.Results: No animal displayed severe skin infection and died before sacrifice.The rats in group I,II and Ⅳ lost weight,while the animals in the antibiotic group gained weight.Bacterial counts in groups Ⅲ and Ⅳ were significantly reduced compared with the control(p = 0.001 and <0.001,respectively).Furthermore,significant differences were detected between groups Ⅲ and Ⅳ(p = 0.033).However,the difference between groups I and II was insignificant(p = 0.287).Conclusion: Our experimental model suggests that MW provides significant synergy for systemic antibiotic treatment.However,further clinical trials are required in order to use this treatment modality safely in patients. |
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