Electrical stimulation: current concepts and indications

The use of electrical stimulation in fracture management is increasing. Electrical stimulation has been found to offer a reasonable means of treatment for nonunions that have failed to respond to previous bone grafting over an extended period of time. The effective use of electrical stimulation devices requires an understanding of the various principles and concepts employed by the four types of stimulators currently available. While the exact mechanism of electrically-induced osteogenesis is uncertain, current theories indicate that several factors probably are involved and more than one mechanism may be responsible. There are significant differences in the clinical applications of the various types of electrical stimulators. Whether these differences are significant from a practical standpoint remains to be seen.