Research - Effects of laser irradiation on the spinal cord for the regeneration of crushed peripheral nerve in rats.

Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 2001, 28 (3): 216-219
Rochkind-S, Nissan-M, Alon-M et al.

The purpose of the study was to examine the recovery of the crushed sciatic nerve of rats after low- power laser irradiation applied to the corresponding segments of the spinal cord. After a crush injury to the sciatic nerve in rats, low-power laser irradiation was applied transcutaneously to corresponding segments of the spinal cord immediately after closing the wound by using 16 mW, 632 nm He-Ne laser. The laser treatment was repeated 30 minutes daily for 21 consecutive days. The electrophysiologic activity of the injured nerves (compound muscle action potentials--CMAPs) was found to be approximately 90% of the normal precrush value and remained so for up to a long period of time. In the control nonirradiated group, electrophysiologic activity dropped to 20% of the normal precrush value at day 21 and showed the first signs of slow recovery 30 day after surgery. The two groups were found to be significantly different during follow-up period (P 0.001). This study suggests that low-power laser irradiation applied directly to the spinal cord can improve recovery of the corresponding injured peripheral nerve.