Diagnostic ultrasound treatment increases the bone fracture-healing rate in an internally fixed rat femoral osteotomy model.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the healing effects of diagnostic ultrasound in a standardized rat femur fracture model.


METHODS
Thirty-two male rats aged 14 weeks were used, and each rat's right femur was osteotomized and stabilized under anesthesia. The rats were then divided into 4 groups. Five days after surgery, ultrasound was applied every fifth day with diagnostic sonographic equipment and a probe with a 7.5-MHz frequency and 11.8-mW/cm2 total output intensity for 10 minutes in each session. Ultrasound was applied 8 times in group A, 3 times in group B, and only once in group C. Ultrasound was not applied to sham-operated group D. Healing and callus formation of the rats' femur fractures were evaluated by radiography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.


RESULTS
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometric and radiographic results showed that the ultrasound therapy accelerated the fracture healing. Radiographically, groups A and B showed better fracture healing than groups C and D. Ultrasound exposure increased both the whole-bone mineral density and the density at the fracture region, increasing in parallel with the exposure period.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms the previously shown efficacy of low-intensity ultrasonic stimulation in acceleration of the normal fracture repair process even when performed with a diagnostic sonographic device.
Heybeli
Nurettin
N
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Suleyman Demirel University, School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey.
Yeşildağ
Ahmet
A
Oyar
Orhan
O
Gülsoy
Ufuk Kemal
UK
Tekinsoy
Mehmet Aslan
MA
Mumcu
Ethem Faruk
EF
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D010027:Osteotomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*