Efficacy of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound treatment for surgically managed fresh diaphyseal fractures of the lower extremity: multi-center retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: There are no evidence on the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on surgically managed fresh fractures. We therefore performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study to investigate the effects of LIPUS on surgically managed fresh fractures. METHODS: This study included patients surgically treated for diaphyseal fractures of the femur or tibia between August 2009 and July 2010 at 14 institutions. Outcome was the union period. We performed an overall comparison of the LIPUS group (78 cases) with the control group (63 cases), as well as subgroup analyses comparing outcomes for fracture sites, fracture types, soft tissue conditions, and fixation methods between the groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of distribution of cases by fracture site, fracture type, soft tissue condition, fixation method. Analyses comparing subgroups, however, showed significant differences between the two groups, particularly in relation to type C fractures, regardless of whether all cases or only closed-fracture cases were analyzed: there was an approximately 30 % reduction in the union period for type C fractures in the LIPUS group. There were also cases requiring reoperation due to lack of stability, even among the type C fractures. CONCLUSIONS: LIPUS is effective for surgically managed, fresh, type C comminuted diaphyseal fractures of the lower limbs when there is appropriate stability at the fracture site.