Bone stimulation for fracture healing: What's all the fuss?
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 19838359.
- Also identified by DOI 10.4103/0019-5413.50844 and PMC identifier 2762251.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Approximately 10% of the 7.9 million annual fracture patients in the United States experience nonunion and/or delayed unions, which have a substantial economic and quality of life impact. A variety of devices are being marketed under the name of "bone growth stimulators." This article provides an overview of electrical and electromagnetic stimulation, ultrasound, and extracorporeal shock waves. More research is needed for knowledge of appropriate device configurations, advancement in the field, and encouragement in the initiation of new trials, particularly large multicenter trials and randomized control trials that have standardized device and protocol methods.