Emilio Farfán C. & Fernando Matamala V.

The continuous ultrasound bases its efficiency on the heat energy it generates, favoring the nervous repair. Therefore, the question arises whether the reparative response will be equal or different under varying intensities of continuous ultrasound application on the disabled spinal nerve. For the study we used 12 male rats; the ischiatic nerve was surgically isolated and compressed during 45 seconds with a constant force of 40N. The compression was realized at 10 mm on the bifurcation, and was subsequently disinfected and sutured. Immediately following the operation the rats were separated in groups of 3: A) Healthy control, B) Injured control, C) Application of therapeutic ultrasound of 0.5 w/cm2 and D) Application of therapeutic ultrasound of 1 w/cm2. Group A was used as healthy control and did not receive irradiation. The rats in group B were injured and did not receive irradiation and those of groups C and D were injured and were transcutaneously irradiated in the area corresponding to the ischiatic nerve using intensities of 0.5 w/cm2 and 1 w/cm2, 3 MHZ of frequency. We used a compress of 0.5 cm2, during 1 minute and for 10 consecutive days. 28 days post operative ischiatic nerves were removed and submitted to technologies of H.E and VG stain. Histopathological and morphometrical diagnosis was realized: Thickness ofthePerineurium, schwannocyteperimeter, Myelin Axon and Myelin perimeters were measured. The results revealed that the continuous ultrasound is effective in the repair of the spinal nerve, more so with 1 w/cm2 than with 0.5 w/cm2.

KEY WORDS: Therapeutic ultrasound; Repair; ischiatic nerve; Rat.

FARFÁN, E. & MATAMALA, V. F. Comparative study between two intensities of continuous ultrasound in the repair of the spinal nerve injured by compression. Int. J. Morphol., 31(3):1124-1129, 2013.