Radiofrequency Energy-induced Heating of Bovine Articular Cartilage Using a Temperature-controlled, Bipolar Rf Electrode

Chondrocytes are known to be thermal-sensitive, insofar as excessive temperatures may cause cellular death and promote the degeneration of articular cartilage (3). Therefore, it is imperative to determine and use the lowest possible settings of RF energy that will produce the desired effects (1-3). Similar to other studies conducted to characterize temperature changes for tissues treated using electrosurgical devices (4, 5), it is necessary to determine the thermal effects association with the delivery of various levels of RF power to articular cartilage (3). A given level of RF energy may then be selected that produces the appropriate result, while avoiding excessive heating during treatment of articular cartilage lesions. Therefore, the purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the temperature changes associated with the use of RF energy delivered at different settings to bovine articular cartilage using a temperature-controlled, bipolar RF electrode. These data will provide information to help guide the use of this electrosurgical equipment for thermal-assisted chondroplasty.