Intraoperative measurement of bone electrical potential: a piece in the puzzle of understanding fracture healing.
BACKGROUND
Bone electrical potentials change with the force applied. Also, fracture alters the bone electrical potential, so it becomes more electronegative. These potentials have an important role in fracture healing, bone growth and remodelling. Literature data on the influence of fracture operative treatment on bone electrical potentials, and possible consequences of this influence, are sparse. The objective of this study was to establish a method of intraoperative bone potential measurement, and to try to find a correlation between electrical potential and fracture type, osteosynthesis method and prognosis.


METHODS
52 patients with a pertrochanteric fracture were included in the study. Bone electrical potentials were measured intraoperatively using a thin Kirschner wire introduced through bone cortex at the selected point and pointed to opposite cortex, not penetrating it. Kirschner wires were connected using clamps to multimeter (YF-78 Multimeter) device. Neutral electrode (inductive rubber) was placed behind ipsilateral gluteus.


RESULTS
Near the fracture site potentials of -199 up to -267 mV were recorded. Mean measured potential of bone plate after fixation was -240 mV. Bone potentials correlated with the subtype of fracture and early mobilisation of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Bone potentials, caused by fracture, can be measured intraoperatively; the operative procedure appears to influence their generation. Measured potentials depend on the fracture type, and could be correlated with prognosis.
Department of Surgery, University Hospital Centre Zagreb and School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Kispaticeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: zigman.tomislav@gmail.com.
Tomislav
T
Zigman
Slavko
S
Davila
Ivan
I
Dobric
Tonisav
T
Antoljak
Goran
G
Augustin
Daniel
D
Rajacic
Tomo
T
Kovac
Tin
T
Ehrenfreund
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D001864:Bone Wires; D003343:Corrosion; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
Bone electrical potential; Bone electricity; Bone metal implants; Bone plates; Corrosion; Electric stimulation; Femoral fracture; Fracture healing; Internal fracture fixation; Intraoperative period