Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
Bioelectric Analyses of an Osseointegrated Intelligent Implant Design System for Amputees
Published on: July 15, 2009
Non-contact electrical stimulation via a Vector-potential transformer promotes bone healing in drill-hole injury
Nao Yashima1, Wataru Minamizono2, Hiroya Matsunaga3
1Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Toyo University, 1-7-11 Akabanedai, Kita-ku, Tokyo, 115-8650, Japan. s4h102300026@toyo.jp.
Introduction:
We investigated the effects of non-contact electrical stimulation via a Vector-potential (VP) transformer, a novel physical therapy device, on bone healing in drill-hole injury models.
Materials And Methods:
Six-week-old male Wistar rats, after a one-week acclimation period, were divided into three groups: the control group (CO), the bone injury group (BI), in which a drill-hole injury was created, and the VP stimulation group (VP), which received non-contact electrical stimulation via a VP transformer after bone injury. In the VP group, rats underwent stimulation at 200 kHz for 30 minutes per day, seven days per week.
Results:
The VP group exhibited increased bone formation as early as day 7 post-injury, with significantly higher bone volume than the BI group at all time points (day 7: p = 0.0003; day 14: p = 0.0024; day 21: p = 0.0001). By day 21, the VP group showed lighter toluidine blue staining and reduced biglycan immunoreactivity compared to the BI group. Bone mineral density also increased (p = 0.0008). Osteoblasts in the VP group displayed abundant cytoplasm and a high capacity for osteocalcin synthesis. Additionally, the VP group demonstrated increased expression of Bglap (day 5: p = 0.0068; day 7: p = 0.0096) and Ctsk (day 7: p = 0.0329; day 14: p = 0.0171), along with a higher number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts (day 21: p = 0.0159) compared to the BI group.
Conclusion:
Non-contact electrical stimulation via a VP transformer promotes bone healing in drill-hole injury models.
