Abstract

• PURPOSE: Low-intensity, pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has demonstrated a stimulation and acceleration of the normal fracture-repair process in cellular bases as well in animal and human models. In this study, the adjunctive effect of LIPUS and LASER was investigated in established nonunion of the long bones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study group consisted of eight patients to whom conventional bone graft and adjunctive LIPUS and LASER was applied. On the other hand, eight patients in the control group underwent bone graft only. Eleven men and five women were included in this study and the average age of the patients was 41.7 years (range, 19~62 years). Six of the tibias and ten of the femurs met the criteria for established nonunion. The average fracture age, the post-fracture period before the start of LIPUS/LASER treatment, was 502 days. RESULTS: Seven of the ten nonunions who were treated by LIPUS and LASER healed completely in an average treatment time of 141 days (range, 101~202 days) and otherwise, in control group, five of the eight nonunions healed completely, in 240 days (range, 183~283 days). CONCLUSION: This clinical study showed a positive effect of LIPUS and LASER on the rate of osseous repair, especially accelerated time to initial callus cortical bridging compared to that of conventional treatment.
• Key words: Long bone, Nonunion, Ultrasound and LASER

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