[The efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic fields used alone in the treatment of femoral head osteonecrosis: a report of two cases].

Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2003 · Benefit · Very low evidence

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BenefitVery low evidencePaper 3722

PEMF was applied as the sole treatment in three hips for six months (10 hours daily). At 12-year and 5-year follow-up, clinical improvement was observed in all treated hips with no radiologic deterioration reported.

Study snapshot

PublicationActa orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2003

Study typecase_report

Reported directionBenefit

Evidence ratingVery low

Abstract

Long-term radiologic and clinical results of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) are presented with illustration of two patients having Ficat-Arlet grade 2 osteonecrosis of the femoral head. One patient (female, age 33 years) had bilateral involvement due to systemic steroid use, the other (male, age 39 years) had right-sided involvement of unknown etiology. Surgical treatment was ruled out because of aplastic anemia associated with significant thrombocyte deficiency in the first patient, while the other refused surgery. Pulsed electromagnetic fields were applied as the sole treatment modality in three hips for six months with a duration of 10 hours daily (at nights). At the end of 12-year- and five-year-follow-ups, respectively, clinical improvement was observed in all hips, with no radiologic deterioration. It is concluded that application of PEMF stimulation alone may be an alternative treatment modality in patients in whom surgical treatment cannot be performed for femoral head osteonecrosis, in particular Ficat-Arlet grade 1 and 2 disease.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecase_report

Effect directionbenefit

PopulationTwo patients with Ficat-Arlet grade 2 osteonecrosis of the femoral head (one 33-year-old female with bilateral involvement due to systemic steroid use; one 39-year-old male with right-sided involvement of unknown etiology)

Sample size2

Exposure6 months; 10 hours daily (at nights)

Evidence strengthVery lowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Clinical improvement
Radiologic deterioration (absence of)

Limitations

Case report design (two patients; three hips)
No control/comparator group
PEMF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency/intensity) not reported in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "case_report",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) therapy",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "6 months; 10 hours daily (at nights)"
  },
  "population": "Two patients with Ficat-Arlet grade 2 osteonecrosis of the femoral head (one 33-year-old female with bilateral involvement due to systemic steroid use; one 39-year-old male with right-sided involvement of unknown etiology)",
  "sample_size": 2,
  "outcomes": [
    "Clinical improvement",
    "Radiologic deterioration (absence of)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "PEMF was applied as the sole treatment in three hips for six months (10 hours daily). At 12-year and 5-year follow-up, clinical improvement was observed in all treated hips with no radiologic deterioration reported.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Case report design (two patients; three hips)",
    "No control/comparator group",
    "PEMF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency/intensity) not reported in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "very_low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "pulsed electromagnetic fields",
    "PEMF",
    "osteonecrosis",
    "femoral head",
    "Ficat-Arlet grade 2",
    "case report"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "pemf-therapy",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Study evaluates pulsed electromagnetic fields as a therapeutic intervention for osteonecrosis."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: 14963399

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