Treatment of Nonunion Using Electrical Stimulation Only

Suk, Se Il; Chung, Moon Sang; Lee, Sang Hoon; Chung, Phil Hyun; Han, Moon Sung; Kim, Yong Min

Abstract

Negative electric charge is known to induce osteoblastic activity in bone. Therefore, electrical stimulation can be used clinically to promote more active new bone formation in the fracture site. Among many methods in the treatment of fracture nonunion, electrical stimulation can be emplyed as one of the useful methods, which is less of noninvasive and rather simple. We experienced 10 cases of fracture nonunion managed with EST without surgery in the Department of Orthtopedic Surgery of Seoul National University Hospital from September 1980 to March 1987. Of these, 6 cases were managed with semiinvasive direct current method and resulted in union of all cases. 4 cases were managed with nonivasive capacitively coupled electric field method and resulted in union iin 3 cases but in1 case, nonunion persisted till 22 months follow-up. In the 9 cases of satisfactory results, union time varied from 2 months to 9 months with mean of 4 months. No remarkable complication was found in these cases. In conclusion, electrial sitmulation therapy is thought to be one of the useful and hopeful methods in the treatment of fracture nonunion cases in which surgery is not absolutely indicated.