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Effect of continuous therapeutic ultrasound in rabbit growth plates

The therapeutic efficiency of ultrasound has become an indispensable tool of physical therapy treatment in cases of alteration by lesions and in many kinds of sickness. However, in pediatric cases the use of ultrasound is controversial due to possible disturbance and damage to the growth plate. The aim of this study is to find out if the continuous ultrasound presents alteration effects on the growth plate of female rabbits. Eight New Zealand female rabbits with two months of age were tested. They were treated by continuous therapeutic ultrasound with doses of 1 W/cm² in the lateral region of the right knee joint for five minutes, during 10 days, with an interval of two days after five applications. The left knee joint was used as a control. The histological analysis showed an alteration in the thickness of the growth plate on the treated side 24.40% bigger than in the left knee joint of the control (p < 0.0001). On other hand, the radiological analysis did not show any difference between the limbs. The conclusion was that the therapeutic ultrasound produced significant histological alterations in the cartilage thickness on the treated side according to the manner it was used in the experiment. Such fact suggests an acceleration in the growth plate metabolism.

Ultrasound therapy; Growth plate


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