Abstract: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the abnormal new bone formation in the soft tissue outside the normal skeletal system. At present, in addition to conventional drugs, it is also possible to be prevented and treated by small molecule receptor stimulants / inhibitors, gene therapy, neutralization antibodies and radiotherapy, which target the microenvironment, necessary signal pathways, key mediations and precursor cells of heterotopic bone formation. Besides, surgical resection is the most direct and effective treatment for HO. This article also summarizes the limitations of different methods, and expects to provide new ideas for clinical treatment.

Key words: heterotopic ossification, prevention, treatment