title: The role of the sensory nerve response in ultrasound accelerated fracture repair.
abstract: This study was designed to test the hypothesis   that the sensory innervation of bone might play an important role   in sensing and responding to low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and   explain its effect in promoting fracture healing. In 112 rats a   standardised mid-shaft tibial fracture was created, supported with   an intramedullary needle and divided into four groups of 28. These   either had a sciatic neurectomy or a patellar tendon resection as   control, and received the ultrasound or not as a sham treatment.   Fracture union, callus mineralisation and remodelling were assessed using   plain radiography, peripheral quantitative computed tomography and   histomorphology. Daily ultrasound treatment significantly increased the rate of   union and the volumetric bone mineral density in the fracture callus   in the neurally intact rats (p = 0.025), but this stimulating effect   was absent in the rats with sciatic neurectomy. Histomorphology   demonstrated faster maturation of the callus in the group treated   with ultrasound when compared with the control group. The results   supported the hypothesis that intact innervation plays an important   role in allowing low-intensity pulsed ultrasound to promote fracture   healing.
authors.affiliation: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Ham, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W-L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: K-S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: K S C
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kwong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000528:radiation effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells; D013016:Sound; D013977:Tibia / Q000294:innervation*; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy