Are Noninvasive Bone Stimulators Still a Thing?

Noninvasive bone growth stimulators use electrical or magnetic fields and ultrasonic signals to promote bone growth in conjunction with fractures and fusions. Googling "bone growth stimulation/stimulators in foot and ankle" resulted in six indexed citations over the past 20 years. The best outcome was a mixed cohort of upper and lower extremity with a sample size of 1,382 patients treated with PEMF stimulation reported an overall success rate of 89.6% for clinical union.

Anything new?

The new kid on the block is Orthofix AccelStim bone growth stimulator. With a new look at an old concept the Orthofix device generates a Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) signal to stimulate the bone’s natural healing process to promote fracture healing. FDA approved indications include fresh fractures and nonunions.