Electromagnetic stimulation of fresh fractures treated with hoffmann® external fixation

The literature related to the clinical application of electromagnetic stimulation to nonunions and fresh fractures is reviewed, and advantages of the combination of electromagnetic stimulation and external fixation are presented. A homogeneous clinical series of 24 fresh tibial fractures treated by Hoffmann external fixation and stimulated by pulsed magnetic field is analyzed. The results are compared to a control population of 1600 tibial fractures treated by Hoffmann external fixation alone. The mechanical evaluation of the healing rate was realized using strain gauge measurements every 15 days. Among the four induction patterns investigated, one significantly affects the healing time; however, the efficiency of electrical stimulation on fresh fracture healing appears to be much less pronounced than for nonunions. The differences between nonunions and fresh fractures are discussed in terms of electrical characteristics.