An electrical stimulation data based model to predict the healing period of fractured limb

ABSTRACT

In this work, diagnosing of reunion of human tibia fracture across limbs using a simple mathematical model is demonstrated. At present in practice, the fracture reunion is predicted using repeated radiographs. Frequent exposure to such radiation causes harmful health effects in patients. Hence, as an alternative, modelling technique using electrical data recorded across patients stimulated with DC electric voltage of range 0.1–1V is proposed. Various model structures, namely P1D and P1DZ models were tried. An error analysis was performed and it was observed that the measured data fitted P1DZ model with an error less than 5%. Model parameters namely process gain and time constant were observed. When the model parameter process gain becomes constant, the time constant reduces significantly indicating the healing of fracture. Reunion was also confirmed with simultaneously taken radiographs. The fact that human bone is a biological semi-conductor therefore exhibits electrical properties and bone does behave like a capacitor is proved by empirical methods in our study is the novelty of the work.