Effect of low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound on wound healing in rats subjected to third-degree burns¹

PURPOSE:

To determine the effectiveness of low-intensity therapeutic ultrasound (LITUS) on wound healing in rats with third-degree burns.

METHODS:

Twenty rats were divided into the Control Group that comprised four rats without third-degree burns that did not undergo LITUS, the Burned Group (BG), comprising eight rats with third-degree burns that did not undergo LITUS, and the Burned with Treatment Group (BTG), comprising eight rats with third-degree burns that were administered LITUS. LITUS began 24 h after injury and involved daily applications for 8 min at 0.1 W/cm² for 14 days.

RESULTS:

The BTG lost less weight than the BG (Q=2.75; p<0.05). No visible differences were apparent among the groups' lesions on day 4. By the end of treatment, wound healing was more evident in the BTG. No statistically significant differences were found between the BG and the BTG in relation to the parameters measured using the histological changes in burn wound healing scoring system.

CONCLUSION:

The LITUS protocol applied to the animals with third-degree burns accelerated the formation of fibrin-leukocyte crusts and significantly reduced weight loss. However, burn wound healing was not accelerated.

Physical therapy; Burn; Rats; Wound Healing; Ultrasonic Therapy