Ultrasound in medicine & biology
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Ultrasound Med Biol · Apr 2009
ReviewLow-intensity pulsed ultrasound for the treatment of bone delayed union or nonunion: a review.
The goal of this review is to present the most updated knowledge derived from basic science, animal studies and clinical trials, concerning biophysical stimulation of bone repair through low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), with particular reference to the management of delayed unions and nonunions. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound LIPUS has been proved to significantly stimulate and accelerate fresh fracture healing in animal studies and in randomized controlled clinical trials. ⋯ Outcomes depend on the site of nonunion, time elapsed from trauma, stability at the site of nonunion and host type. The detailed biophysical process by which low-intensity pulsed ultrasound LIPUS stimulates bone regeneration still remains unknown, even if various effects on bone cells in vitro and in vivo have been described.