Therapeutic ultrasound to stimulate osteoconduction; A placebo controlled single blind study using e-PTFE membranes in rats.

Abstract

To decrease healing time of bone defects covered with osteoconductive membranes, an attempt was made to stimulate the osteoconductive process with therapeutic ultrasound. In 72 rats, a circular mandibular defect was created and covered on both sides with an e-PTFE membrane. A control group, an ultrasound treatment group and a placebo treatment group were studied. At 2 and 4 weeks, the osteoconduction was expressed as the percentage of defect closure using digitized microradiographs. At 2 weeks, there was no significant difference in the percentage of defect closure between the groups. At 4 weeks, there was significantly more bone defect closure in the placebo group (77.9%) as compared to the control group (59.3%). Membrane ultrasound attenuation measurements indicated that the membrane blocks most of the applied ultrasound. In conclusion, low intensity pulsed ultrasound does not appear to significantly stimulate osteoconduction into a bone defect in the rat mandible that is covered by an e-PTFE membrane.