Laceration in rat gastrocnemius. Following-up muscle repairing by ultrasound biomicroscopy (in vivo), contractility test (ex vivo) and histopathology

PURPOSE:Implement a laceration protocol of the rat lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and following-up its repair with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), contractility tests and histology.METHODS: Sixty-three male Wistar rats were distributed into two groups. One, with sub-groups GI, GII and GIII (n=12), each containing right LG lacerated (n=6), control and sham (n=3) animals. LG muscles in GI, GII and GIII were inspected by UBM (40 MHz) immediately after, 14 and 28 days post-surgery and thereafter excised with four (GI), 14 (GII) and 28 (GIII) days post-surgery for histology. Animals in second group wer...