Pulsed magnetic field therapy for tibial non-union. Interim results of a double-blind trial.
Patients with tibial fractures which had remained un-united for at least 52 weeks were randomly allocated to either active or dummy pulsed magnetic field stimulators and treated in full leg plasters for 24 weeks with a non-weightbearing conservative regimen, as is usual with such techniques. Fractures in 5 of the 9 patients with working machines united and fractures in 5 of the 7 patients with dummy machines also united. These early results of this double-blind trial are compatible with a difference in success rate at 24 weeks on active treatment of + 33% to -61% (95% confidence limits) compared with the success rate on the dummy stimulators. The high proportion of fractures uniting in the control group suggests that conservative management of non-union is effective and this may explain much of the success attributed to pulsed magnetic field therapy.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000295:instrumentation; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing