Electric Enhancement of Bone Healing

Author: Leroy S. Lavine 1, Irving Lustrin 1, Robert A. Rinaldi 2, Morris H. Shamos 2, Abraham R. Liboff 2
Affiliation: 1State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, College of Medicine, New York 2Biophysics Research Laboratory Department of Physics, New york University, New York 10003
Conference/Journal: Science
Date published: 1972 Mar
Other: Volume ID: 175 , Issue ID: 4026 , Pages: 1118-1121 , Special Notes: DOI: 10.1126/science.175.4026.1118 , Word Count: 49


A human congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia, unresponsive to conventional treatment, was stimulated to healing by direct electric current. The method was modeled after prior experimental work in vivo in rabbits. X-ray photographs, histological techniques, and electron microscopy confirmed the presence of newly formed bone in the defect region.