Ultrasound in Speeding up the Fracture Healing Process in Rats

Abstract

In different previous studies it has been reported that ultrasound shortens the healing periodof fresh fractures (Leung et al, 2004) and promotes the healing of refractory fractures (pseudoarthrosis,delayed union fractures), shortening the treatment period (Miyabe et al, 2010).The aim of our study was to test various parameters of ultrasound and determine the optimumparameters for the fracture healing process hastening in recent fractures. For this we surgicallyinduced fracture of the radius bone from the right thoracic limb to a total of 20 rats. Following surgery,they were divided into 4 groups to receive different treatment as follows: a control group that receivedno treatment, and 3 groups that received different doses of ultrasound, namely: intensity of 0.1 W/cm2in pulse mode, intensity of 0.5 W/cm2 in pulse mode and intensity of 0.5 W/cm2 continuously.Treatment began in the 7th day after fracture induction and was applied for 10 days as follow: 5 daystreatment, two days off, five days treatment.At 21 days after surgery, the animals were euthanized to harvest samples. In interpretingresults macroscopic and histopathological examination were performed. On slaughter, all treatmentgroups, regardless of the applied dose, had more advanced stages of callus formation compared withcontrols, and between treatment groups, the most advanced bone healing process was observed in thegroup treated with ultrasound with intensity of 0.5 W/cm2 in pulsed mode.