Effect of low-power pulsed laser on peripheral nerve regeneration in rats

• Published in: Microsurgery 2005, Vol.25 (1), p.83-89
• Main Authors: Chen, Yueh-Sheng, Hsu, Sheng-Feng, Chiu, Chih-Wen, Lin, Jaung-Geng, Chen, Chao-Tzung, Yao, Chun-Hsu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Axons - radiation effects; Axons - ultrastructure; Biological and medical sciences; General aspects; Low-Level Light Therapy; Medical sciences; Motor Neurons - physiology; Motor Neurons - radiation effects; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - radiation effects; Nerve Regeneration - radiation effects; Peripheral Nerves - physiology; Peripheral Nerves - radiation effects; Peripheral Nerves - ultrastructure; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sciatic Nerve - physiology; Sciatic Nerve - radiation effects; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases
• ISSN: 0738-1085; 1098-2752
• DOI: 10.1002/micr.20079

The purpose of this study was to determine whether low‐power pulsed laser irradiation could affect the regeneration of a 10‐mm gap of rat sciatic nerve created between the proximal and distal nerve stumps, which were sutured into silicone rubber tubes. After 8 weeks of recovery, pulsed laser‐irradiated groups at frequencies of 5 kHz and 20 kHz both had significantly lower success percentages of regeneration (50% and 44%, respectively) compared to sham‐irradiated controls (100%). In addition, qualitative and quantitative histology of the regenerated nerves revealed a less mature ultrastructural organization with a smaller cross‐sectional area and a lower number of myelinated axons in both pulsed laser‐irradiated groups than in controls. These results suggest that pulsed laser irradiation could elicit suppressing effects on regenerating nerves. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 25:83–89, 2005.