Conclusions to Bone Growth Stimulation for Spine Fusion

Over the last 25 years, bone growth stimulation has been established as a cost-effective adjunct to improve the clinical success rate of spinal fusion surgery. Various studies have clearly demonstrated that the use of bone stimulation as an adjunct to spinal fusion in the “difficult to fuse” population significantly improves success rates.

The use of bone stimulation does add significantly to the overall cost of a spinal fusion, however, preliminary data appear to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of the electrical stimulation device.² The routine use of electrical bone growth stimulation, for all patients undergoing a spine fusion, remains a subject for debate.

As the medical community continues to explore the use of electrical stimulation and its potential influence on other as yet unstudied aspects of spinal surgery, the impact of electrical stimulation as an adjunct to spinal fusion is likely to grow over time.

• Article written by:
• Neil Kahanovitz, MD

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