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The stimulation of bone growth by ultrasound

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Summary

The ultrasonic stimulation of bone growth was investigated in a experimental work in which a set of 45 rabbits were studied according to the following procedure:

  1. a)

    bilateral osteotomy of fibula (23 animals) and bilateral drilled holes on the cortex of femur (22 animals);

  2. b)

    exposure of ultrasound for 15 min per day;

  3. c)

    Radiological and histological evaluations of the progress of the callus;

  4. d)

    photography and measurements of the area of the callus;

  5. e)

    graphical comparisons using the results between controls and stimulated limbs. Pulsed ultrasound, in the form of short bursts, was used at low intensities (below cavitation threshold) so that the temperature variation, at the osteotomy site, was of the order of 0.01° C (constant) a fact that reinforces the assumption that the stimulation mechanism due to the appearence of electric potentials is of non-thermal origin such as that caused by piezoelectricity.

Zusammenfassung

In dieser Arbeit wurde die Stimulierung des Knochenwachstums bei Kaninchen durch Ultraschallbehandlung untersucht. Insgesamt dienten 45 Kaninchen den Experimenten, die wie folgt durchgefüihrt wurden:

  1. a)

    23 Tiere bei der zweiseitigen Osteotomie der Fibula und 22 bei bilateralen Öffnungen der Cortex des Femur.

  2. b)

    Beahndlungsdauer mit Ultraschall täglich 15 min.

  3. c)

    Die Kallusbildung wurde durch Röntgenaufnahmen und Gewebeuntersuchungen ausgewertet.

  4. d)

    Es wurden Aufnahmen und Messungen des Kallusgebietes gemacht und

  5. e)

    graphisch die nicht behandelten und stimulierten Glieder verglichen.

Es wurde pulsierender Ultraschall angewendet, kurz dauernde “bursts” und zwar so, daß die Temperaturschwankung an der Stelle der Osteotomie 0,01°C (konstant) betrug. Dieses stärkt die Hypothese, daß der stimulierende Mechanismus (elektrische Potentiale) nicht thermischen Ursprungs ist, wie durch Piezoelektrizität.

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Duarte, L.R. The stimulation of bone growth by ultrasound. Arch. Orth. Traum. Surg. 101, 153–159 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436764

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436764

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