9903-984 Howard
Howard BK, Beran SJ, Kenkel JM, Krueger J, Rohrich RJ.
The effects of ultrasonic energy on peripheral nerves: implications for ultrasound-assisted liposuction.
Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999 Mar;103(3):984-9. PMID: 10077094
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9132, USA.
The integration of ultrasound-assisted liposuction with traditional
suction-assisted lipoplasty has extended the role of liposuction in body
contouring. Although there are ample data regarding the effects of ultrasound on
peripheral nerves from studies with the Cavitron ultrasound surgical aspirator,
there is little information concerning the effects of modern ultrasound body
contouring equipment on neural tissue. This study was designed to evaluate the
functional and histologic effects of ultrasound energy on rat peripheral nerves
(sciatic nerves) using a commonly-used ultrasound-assisted liposuction
generator. After the application of ultrasound to exposed rat sciatic nerves,
operative magnification was used to assess any visible injury. The sciatic
function index was serially measured to quantify immediate and long-term
functional effects on the nerves. Our results showed immediate visible injury
using low amplitude settings (level 6), but no functional evidence of injury
until much higher settings were used (level 9). All animals in the groups with
initial functional impairment had returned to normal or near-normal function at
completion of the study (51 days). Histologic examination revealed no evidence
of damage in the low amplitude groups. Histologic analysis of the high amplitude
groups displayed diffuse infiltration of the nerve, with foamy histiocytes and
an increased number of mast cells, consistent with remote neural injury followed
by myelin breakdown and repair.
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