Studies on the Use of Bone Growth Stimulators in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Title: The Use of Bone Growth Stimulators for Osteoarthritis of the Knee.

Background: The purpose of this study was to see if using Ultrasound Bone Growth Stimulators for osteoarthritis of the knee was beneficial. There is evidence that osteoarthritis of the knee is largely a subchondral bone disease with subsequent joint alterations. Because osteoarthritis contains fibrous tissue in the subchondral bone, and bone growth stimulators work by converting fibrous tissue in the callus of fracture nonunion into normal bone, osteoarthritis of the knee might be treated with bone growth stimulators.

Methods and Findings: Ten patients with confirmed osteoarthritis of the knee were included in this pilot study. Each patient’s pain and quality of life were assessed on three independent scales before and after treatment with noninvasive bone growth stimulators.

Eight subjects received ultrasound treatment, one received pulsed electromagnetic fields treatment, and one received mixed magnetic fields treatment.

There was a high level of significance for nine of the eleven statistical tests which were performed on three independent scales for ultrasound. The participants who were treated using pulsed electromagnetic fields and combined magnetic fields experienced greater than 80% improvement for the comprehensive scores on all three measurement scales.

Conclusion: This was the first time bone growth stimulators were used in a clinical setting to treat OA of the knee. Ultrasound, pulsed electromagnetic fields, and coupled magnetic fields have all been proven to be beneficial. The preliminary findings are positive, and future study paths are outlined.