UNIVERSITY OF ROME « TOR VERGATA »
DIPARTAMENTO DI MEDICINA CRITICA, MEDICINA DEL DOLORE
E DELLE SCIENZE ANESTESIOLOGICHE
(Dir. Prof. A.F. SABATO)
SERVIZIO DI FISIOPATOLOGIA ET TERAPIA DEL DOLORE
AZIENDA OSPEDALIERA UNIVERSITARIA POLICLINICO TOR VERGATA
(Resp. Prof. A. GATTI)
Use of Pulsed Signal Therapy for the treatment of pain
and functional limitation in the context of arthritic degenerative pathology
De Polo C.; Trenca I. ; Frasca M.G. ; Rocconi F. ; Zorbo S.; Santucci M.; Caraccio V.; Ceccobelli M.; Lazzari M.
Pulsed Signal Therapy (PST®) is a non-invasive method which reproduces
physiological signals lost in an imbalanced situation of the extra cellular
cartilaginous matrix.
COXARTHRITIS
3,5
It has already been demonstrated that exposure to pulsed magnetic fields
with low frequency (PEMF), created by PST® technology enables the
chondrogenic differentiation and the synthesis of proteins in the extra
cellular matrix of the conjunctive tissue.
We treated 135 patients in our Physiopathology and Pain Management
Centre from January 2006 to March 2007: these 135 patients were divided
in two groups of pathologies:
- 86 patients with Gonarthritis and,
- 49 patients with Coxarthritis.
Every patient underwent a series of 9 treatment sessions, of one hour
each, over five consecutive days.
2,5
2,24
2
2
1,57
1,5
1
0,5
0
T0
T1
T2
T3
T4
Checks
Evolution VAS
VAS
7
The equipment used generates a direct pulsed current based on a special
diode which operates with variable modulation and duration of the
pulsations in an intensity range up to 12.5 Gauss and a frequency
between 1 and 30 Hertz.
2,61
3
Functional limitation
Equipment and method
3,07
6,31
6
4,41
5
3,91
3,69
4
Our protocol prescribed that the patients would be questioned with the
WOMAC questionnaire (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities
Osteoarthritis) before the start of the treatment (T0), at the end of
treatment (T1), one week later (T2), six months later (T3) and one year
after the end of the PST treatment (T4).
2,23
3
2
1
0
T0
T1
T2
T3
T4
Checks
GONARTHRITIS
2,71
3
2,19
2,5
Functional limitation
2
Results
1,52
1,25
1,5
1,35
During the control visits planned in the protocol we analysed the V.A.S.
(Visual Analog Scale) for the evaluation of pain and mobility in the study
of the therapeutic response of the PST® for the two patient groups.
1
0,5
We have observed a significant decrease in pain with a lower VAS, and
therefore a significant improvement at motor deficiency level in both
groups.
0
T0
T1
T2
T3
T4
Checks
Evolution VAS
VAS
5,76
6
5
4,03
4
3,06
2,73
Conclusions
2,38
Our experience demonstrates that
the PST® is a physiological, noninvasive method which relieves
pain and improves the mobility of
patients suffering from a
degenerative arthritic pathology.
2
1
0
T0
T1
T2
T3
T4
Checks
Translation and layout by Groupe President Medical
QM 94.40.04 V1
3