Monitoring of fracture healing by electrical conduction: A new diagnostic procedure

BACKGROUND: Electrical stimulation of fractures has been reported to enhance fracture healing. X-rays are normally used to assess union of fractures. Electrical conduction is not tried as a tool to study fracture healing. The current study focuses on electrical conduction as a diagnostic tool to assess fracture healing and new bone formation. The aim was to find if electrical resistance across the fracture can be used as a tool to study fracture healing which can be verified with simultaneous radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted where 12 open fractures of tibia, including two with bone defects were evaluated. They were debrided and four-carbon ring Ilizarov external fixators were applied. Their healing was followed with clinical assessment and periodical X-rays till the endpoint of fracture union and then the rings were removed. In addition, all these cases also had application of electrical voltage in the range of 0.1–1.0 V DC in 0.1 V increments, across the two wires on either side of fracture. The output current was recorded by an ammeter connected in series. Resistance calculated for various voltages was plotted as a graph for the period of fracture treatment and the characteristics were studied. This graph was compared with the appearance of new bone in the X-rays. RESULTS: In all cases, when the above graph stabilized, in the consecutive recordings, the X-rays showed healing (bridging callus) matching the curve and the patient was able to load the limb. The time of stabilization of this graph for a specific voltage was different in individual cases. However, for a given case, the resistance characteristics were the same for the entire voltage range of 0.1–1.0 V. CONCLUSION: If the resistance versus day curve stabilizes on the consecutive recordings, we can predict that the fracture is in the process of healing. This stabilization period also matched the patients’ ability to comfortably load the limb and also the radiographs which showed bridging callus (healing). If this is used as a positive criterion for fracture healing in future, the radiation exposure by X-rays shall be less.