Can therapeutic ultrasound influence the regeneration of peripheral nerves?

An experimental study of the influence of the therapeutic ultrasound on the regeneration of the sciatic nerve submitted to a controlled crush injury was carried out in rats. Twenty female Wistar rats weighing 250 g on average were used and divided into two groups of 10 animals each, respectively, submitted to: (1) crush injury followed by ultrasound irradiation and (2) crush injury only. Under general anaesthesia the sciatic nerve was exposed on the right thigh and crushed with a device especially developed and built for this purpose, with a 15,000g constant load for 10 min, affecting a 5mm-long segment of the nerve proximal to its bifurcation.