Electrical osteogenesis by low direct current

A constant direct current cathode was employed in the medullary canal of the rabbit tibia to investigate electrical osteogenesis at low current levels. Currents of 0.015 or 0.075 microA were delivered to the bone and the biological response was compared with contralateral controls receiving 20 microA. This investigation was performed to determine if electrical osteogenesis occurs at current levels below the previously studied range of 1-100 microA with stainless steel electrodes. New bone formed by 0.015 microA cathodes was statistically comparable with that found around inactive cathodes from an earlier pertinent study. The osteogenic response to 0.075 microA cathodes was significantly elevated above that to inactive ones, thus substantiating electrical osteogenesis for currents below 1 microA. However, it is evident that this does not demonstrate a further stimulatory range but that currents near 0.075 microA probably approach the lower significant limit for electrically induced bone growth with stainless steel electrodes.