The science of electrical stimulation therapy for fracture healing.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 19838360.
- Also identified by DOI 10.4103/0019-5413.50846 and PMC identifier 2762253.
- 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
This article is a brief review of the basic science research conducted in the field of electrical stimulation for fracture healing. Direct electrical current, capacitive coupling, and inductive coupling have been studied as potential techniques to enhance fracture healing through the proliferation and differentiation of osteogenic cells. These techniques are particularly appealing as they offer a potential minimally invasive solution to the difficult clinical problem of delayed fracture healing and nonunion. Basic science studies have shown conclusively that electrical stimulation techniques lead to bone cell proliferation and have attempted to elucidate the intracellular processes by which this bone cell proliferation occurs. Further basic science and clinical research is required to enhance the effectiveness of this therapy for the treatment of fracture nonunions.