Desenvolvimento embrionário em ratas Wistar prenhes submetidas ao ultra-som terapêutico de 3 MHz

Abstract

Therapeutic ultrasound is widely used in different aesthetic treatment by young women, who can be irradiated during early gestation. Researches regarding the effects of therapeutic ultrasound on gestation present controversial results. Methodologies incompatible with clinical aspects are used and different methods and technics were employed. However none of them were reproduced in two similar works and only a few observed the early gestation, period when pregnancy is commonly unnoticed. The ultrasound causes increased cell membrane permeability, alterations in ionic diffusion, vasodilation; modifies the intra and extracellular particles position and alter the normal configuration of cells, leading to functional alterations. During early embryo development, cells depend upon protein synthesis and on sinalizations triggered by sodium and potassium channels. Furthermore the participation of microtubules and microfilaments on morphogenesis are extremely important. All this indicates the exposition to ultrasound could cause lesions on the conceptus. In the present work the effects of therapeutic ultrasound with pulsed and continous waves during early pregnancy of the rat were assesed. The methodology consisted in rats exposition to ultrasound in two periods: preimplantion (groups A1, A2 and A3) and implantation (groups B1, B2 and B3). The animals were sedated and exposed to therapeutic ultrasound, frequence of 3 MHz, intensity of 0.6 W/cm2 (SATA), during five minutes. Groups A1 and B1 received pulsed waves, groups A2 and B2 received continuous waves whereas the groups A3 and B3 were sham-exposed. The rats were euthanatized by an overdose of anesthesic 20 days after insemination. The hematocrit, hemoglobin, total leukocytes, and the level of aspartate aminotransferases, alanine transaminase, cholesterol, triglycerides and creatinine were analysed. The dams underwent authopsy for the identification of lesions in the internal organs and removal and weghing of the liver, kidneys and ovaries. The number of resorptions, live, dead and malformed fetuses were counted. The fetal brain, lungs, liver, kidneys and placentae were weighed. The data were processed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett's test. Non parametric data were analyse using the Chi-Square or Kruskal-Wallis tests. The null hyphotesis was reject when p< 0.05. No alterarions were detected on body and maternal organs’ weights, and reproductive performance. The relative weights of heart, liver, kidneys and lungs were higher in group A2. Heart and brain were heavier in group B2, and the weight of placentae decreased in group B1. In conclusion, in the experimental model used, the ultrasound showed no toxic effects on the maternal organism, except for the increased triglyceride levels. The pulsed -wave ultrasound presented no fetal toxic effects on the preimplantation period, but the continuous waves induced an increase on the relative weights of heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. During the implantation period, the pulsedwave ultrasound caused a decrease in placentae weights, and the continuous waves induced an increased on the aboslute weights of fetal brain and heart.