Intrinsic and Extrinsic Methods for Augmenting Fracture Healing in the Hand and Wrist

This review examines intrinsic and extrinsic augmentation techniques for uniting hand and upper extremity fractures, including bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), and pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). While BMPs, PRP, LIPUS, and PEMF show potential in accelerating bone healing and reducing nonunion rates, their clinical adoption is limited by high costs and inconsistent results. This paper focuses on understanding the efficacy of these techniques, their drawbacks, and potential next steps for the field.