In Vivo Measurement of Voltage and Resistance in Fractured Human Bone: A Pilot Study

Background: The role of the central and peripheral nervous system in human fracture healing is largely unknown. Over the past 60 years, however, there has been a significant amount of research on the piezoelectric effect and streaming potentials and their role in fracture healing. Most of the previous literature has been published either in animal models or dry bone with little research on the bioelectric parameters of live, human bone. The primary objective of this study was to determine the in vivo voltage and resistance of live, human bone. A secondary objective of this study was to compare our readings with previous studies and discuss the potential limitations of this exploratory, pilot study.