Results of prescription use of pulse ultrasound therapy in fracture management.
As of October 17, 1994,a pulsed ultrasound device has been used on a prescription basis by orthopaedic
surgeons in the United States (Fig. 1). The Food and Drug Administration released this device for use in
fresh tibial diaphysis and fresh distal radial metaphysis fractures. A patient registry that records all clinical
data concerning both on-label and off-label prescription use of ultrasound, including other bones and different
durations of fracture age, has been analyzed, Table 1 summarizes the data from October 17, 1994 to July
14, 1997. The overall healing rate was 91.6%. This includes fresh, delayed, and nonunited fractures.
Frankel
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Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, New York University, New York, N.Y.