Bone Growth Stimulation for Fracture and Spinal Fusion Patients

About Bone Growth Stimulation

Some patients who experience bone injuries and spinal fusion surgery have difficulty healing. In many of these cases, there are certain health factors that may have impaired the natural healing process of the bones.

When this occurs in patients with fractures, doctors may diagnose the condition as a nonunion, meaning the fracture has failed to show evidence of healing. Similarly, when this occurs in patients who have undergone spinal fusion surgery, doctors may determine that additional treatment options are necessary to get the vertebrae of the spine to properly fuse.

To help overcome these healing challenges, doctors commonly prescribe a treatment

The devices stimulate the natural healing process of bone by sending low-level pulses of electromagnetic energy to the injury or fusion site.

called bone growth stimulation, also known as osteogenesis stimulation.

When bone is broken or bent, it generates an electrical field. This low-level electrical field

is part of the body’s natural process that stimulates bone healing. When this healing process fails to occur naturally, bone growth stimulation can be used to help the process.^1-3

Orthofix bone growth (osteogenesis) stimulation devices provide a safe, noninvasive treatment that helps promote healing in fractured bones and spinal fusions that have not healed or have difficulty healing. The devices stimulate the bone's natural healing process by sending low-level pulses of electromagnetic energy to the injury or fusion site.^4-9

Trusted. Proven. Effective.

Orthofix bone growth stimulation devices have been prescribed since the late 1980s. Over this time, doctors have prescribed more than 700,000 Orthofix bone growth stimulators to help patients heal.

Why doctors and patients choose Orthofix bone growth stimulation devices:

FDA approved for cervical and lumbar spine fusion, and challenging nonunion fractures^4-6
High clinical success rates^4-6,10-13
Designed for patient ease of use
Built-in software helps track treatments

Orthofix bone growth stimulators are prescribed with a guarantee program, which states that radiographic progress will be shown in fracture healing or fusion healing, or the fee paid for the unit will be refunded to the payer(s) of record.*

This permits physicians to prescribe and insurance providers to approve your osteogenesis stimulator with confidence, and most importantly, to give you the maximum opportunity to heal.

*Subject to eligibility requirement.

History of Bone Growth Stimulation

Electrical currents have been used to heal bones since the mid-1800s. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s scientists made the important discovery that when human bone is bent or broken, it generates an electrical field. This low-level electrical field activates the body's own repair mechanism which, in turn, promotes bone healing.^1-3

Timeline:

1986 – Physio-Stim received FDA approval⁴

1990 – Spinal-Stim received FDA approval⁵

2004 – Cervical-Stim received FDA approval⁶