Effects of ultrasound delivered through a mist of saline to wounds in mice with diabetes mellitus.

Abstract

To examine the effects of ultrasound administered through a fine mist of saline on surgically placed full-thickness excisional wounds in mice with experimental diabetes mellitus. Fifty male CD-I mice received alloxan monohydrate (100 mg/kg), a drug known to induce diabetes mellitus. The animals received five ultrasound (n = 27) or sham (n = 23) treatments for 1.5 minutes, on alternate days, for 10 days, and were then sacrificed. Following sacrifice, each animal's wound was excised and the tissues prepared for qualitative and quantitative histological analysis. No difference in wound-surface area was found between the groups after the treatment period. However, blinded assessment of tissue sections revealed significantly increased deposition of collagen and blood vessels in the granulation tissue of animals treated with ultrasound compared with those that received sham therapy. Ultrasound delivered through a fine mist of saline significantly altered the composition of newly formed granulation tissue in animals with experimental diabetes mellitus. Further research needs to be completed to determine other effects of this novel ultrasound therapy and to examine its clinical effectiveness.