In Germany, 800,000 fractures are treated per year, and up to 10 % of these patients may suffer subsequently from a delayed union or a nonunion at the fracture site. Surgical treatment of these complications is tedious and associated with high costs. Therefore non-operative treatment is recently receiving more scientific and clinical attention. The adjuvant treatment with ultrasound has been propagated for the past years to enhance fracture healing and bony union, and has been discussed controversially. This review article demonstrates the significance of the low intensity pulsed ultrasound application in fracture treatment, on the basis of basic science results, animal experiments and the results of clinical trials.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.