Abstracts Posters SICOT-SOF meeting Gothenburg 2010 _2_

Poster
Topic: General Orthopaedics
Abstract number: 23925
ELECTROMAGNETIC STIMULATION FOR DELAYED UNION OF HUMERAL
SHAFT FRACTURES
Ioannis NIKOLOPOULOS, Stephanos KALOS, George KRINAS, Dimitris KIPRIADIS,
Apostolos ILIAS, George SKOUTERIS
2nd Orthopaedic Dpt. General Hospital "Asclepeion Voulas", Voula (GREECE)
Introduction: The humeral fracture delay union was always a challenge for an
orthopaedic surgeon when the initial treatment had to be reviewed. The combination
of conservative or surgical treatment with the electromagnetic stimulation for
fractures union delay is under serious consideration. Aim of study: The evaluation of
electromagnetic stimulation effectiveness in humeral shaft union delay in combination
with the initial treatment carry on. Material and Method: From 2000-2005, EMS was
applied in seven patients aging from 26-45 years-old with humeral shaft fracture
union delay. Initially they were treated with U-slab and Sarmiento brace. The x-rays
at 8 weeks revealed fracture inability to consolidate. We decided to apply EMS, a
patient-friendly, light-weighted and portable device. The application was taken place
once a day at the same time for half an hour over the cast and over the fracture level.
We performed clinical and radiological re-evaluation on each patient at 4, 6, 8 and 12
weeks after the EMS application. Results: Five of the patients developed
consolidation elements after 4 and the rest after six weeks time. Clinical and
radiological fracture union established after 8 weeks in 5 patients and after 10 weeks
in the rest three. Discussion – Conclusion: The decision making and the treatment
review time is a struggling issue for the orthopaedic surgeon in a shaft fracture
delayed union. EMS has many advantages because it is non-invasive, portable, and
can be prescribed in an outpatient department, having no particular difficulties on
application.
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