CONTINUOUS DIRECT CURRENT IN TREATMENT OF NON- UNION AND DELAYED UNION

42 cases of nonunion and 29 cases of delayedunion were treated with continuous direct current inassociation with conventional external fixation in fivehospitals. 15-20 µA per cathode was applied by semi-invasive means for l-6 months. The rate of healingin the nonunion group was 88.1% and that in thedelayed union group 96.6% Complications appearedrare and trifle. The indication of therapy for non-union consisted of a fairly good or permissible alignment of the fragments with the gap no more than0.5 cm, and evidence of relatively firm fibrous unionbetween the fragments. It was postulated that theelectricity acts more likely as a stimulator to reactivate the healing and calcifying process rather thana mobilizer and organizer of minerals.