A surgical bone screw includes an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end, a threaded portion on the circumference of the body, and a passage extending between the proximal and the distal ends of the body. An electrical conductor is disposed in the passage between the proximal and the distal ends of the screw body. The conductor has a first terminal at the proximal end and a second terminal at the distal end. The conductor and both of the terminals are electrically insulated from surrounding portions of the screw body. When the screw is driven into bone tissue and a stimulating current is applied to the first terminal, the current is directed substantially through the conductor to flow into tissue adjacent to the second terminal at the distal end, without shunting by other tissue that surrounds the screw body.