Gross and histomorphological evaluation of therapeutic ultrasound (0.5 W / cm2) following autogenous cancellous bone grafting in dogs

Abstract

In 8 clinically healthy mongrel dogs divided into 2 groups of 4 animals each, a transverse mid shaft diaphyseal defect of2 em was created in the right radius, The gap was filled up with cancellous bone harvested from proximal end of the left tibia and fixation was achieved with bone plate in both the groups. Group 1 served as control and in group 2, the pulsed ultrasound therapy @ 0.5 W/cm2 was applied for 10 min daily for 10 days. After 60 days, the callus from the grafted site was collected and subjected to microscopic study. These findings indicated that fracture site in the control group was in early part ofthe reparative phase (osteoinduction) ofthe healing and the bone grafts were in the process of resorption even at the end of observation. In ultrasound-treated animals the findings were suggestive oflate part of the reparative stage of bone healing as the grafted cancellous bone was fully reabsorbed and replaced by the newly formed cancellous bone with active haemopoiesis.