Abstract
Previous studies have shown that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) promotes posttraumatic nerve regeneration. The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy of 685-nm LLLT at the dosage of 3 J/cm2 in the functional recovery of the sciatic nerve in rats following crushing injury. The left sciatic nerves of 20 male Wistar rats were subjected to controlled crush injury by a hemostatic tweezers, and the rats were randomly allocated into two experimental groups as follows: control group and laser group. Laser irradiation (685 nm wavelength; 15 mW, CW, 3 J/cm2, spot of 0.028 cm2) was started on the postsurgical first day, above the site of injury, and was continued for 21 consecutive days. Functional recovery was evaluated at 3 weeks postoperatively by measuring the sciatic functional index (SFI) and sciatic static index (SSI) at weekly intervals. The treated rats showed improvement in motion pattern. The SFI and SSI results were significant when comparing two groups on the 14th and 21st postoperative days (p < 0.05). There were intra-group differences detected in laser group in different periods (p < 0.05). Low-level laser irradiation, with the parameters used in the present study, accelerated and improved sciatic nerve function in rats after crushing injury.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Medonça AC, Barbieri CH, Mazzer N (2003) Directly applied low intensity direct electric currents enhances peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. J Neurosci Methods 129:183–190
Raso MVV, Barbieri CH, Mazzer N, Fazan VS (2005) Can therapeutic ultrasound influence the regeneration of peripheral nerves? J Neurosci Methods 142:185–192
Anders JJ, Geuma S, Rochkind S (2004) Phototherapy promotes regeneration and functional recovery of injured peripheral nerve. Neurol Res 26:233–239
Gigo-Benato D, Geuna S, Rochkind S (2005) Phototherapy for enhancing peripheral nerve repair: a review of the literature. Muscle Nerve 31(6):694–701
Chen YS, Hsu SF, Chiu CW, Lin JG, Chen CT, Yao CH (2005) Effect of low-power pulsed laser on peripheral nerve regeneration in rats. Microsurgery 25(1):83–89
Gigo-Benato D, Geuna S, de Castro RA, Tos P, Fornaro M, Boux E, Battiston B, Giacobini-Robecchi MG (2004) Low-power laser biostimulation enhances nerve repair after end-to-side neurorrhaphy: a double-blind randomized study in the rat median nerve model. Lasers Med Sci 19(1):57–65
Marcolino AM, Barbosa RI, Neves LMS, Vinas TS, Duarte DTB, Mazzer N, Fonseca MCR (2010) Low intensity laser (830 nm) functional to recovery of the sciatic nerve in rats. Acta Ortop Bras 18(4):207–211
Rochkind S, Barrnea L, Razon N, Bartal A, Schwartz M (1987) Stimulatory effect of He-Ne low dose laser on injured sciatic nerves of rats. Neurosurgery 20(6):843–847
Rochkind S, Nissan M, Alon M, Shamir M, Salame K (2001) Effects of laser irradiation on the spinal cord for the regeneration of crushed peripheral nerve in rats. Lasers Surg Med 28(3):216–219
Rochkind S (2006) Photoengineering of neural tissue repair processes in peripheral nerves and the spinal cord: research development with clinical applications. Photomed Laser Surg 24(2):151–157
Rochkind S, Drory V, Alon M, Nissan M, Ouaknine GE (2007) Laser phototherapy (780 nm), a new modality in treatment of long-term incomplete peripheral nerve injury: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Photomed Laser Surg 25(5):436–442
Santos AP, Suaid CA, Xavier M, Yamane F (2012) Functional and morphometric differences between the early and delayed use of phototherapy in crushed median nerves of rats. Lasers Med Sci 27(2):479–486
Bagis S, Comelekoglu U, Coskun B, Milcan A, Buyukakilli B, Sahin G, Ozisik S, Erdogan C (2003) No effect of GA-AS (904 nm) laser irradiation on the intact skin of the injured rat sciatic nerve. Lasers Med Sci 18(2):83–88
Cömelekoğlu U, Bagiş S, Büyükakilli B, Sahin G, Erdoğan C, Kanik A (2002) Acute electrophysiological effect of pulsed gallium-arsenide low-energy laser irradiation on isolated frog sciatic nerve. Lasers Med Sci 17(1):62–67
Endo C, Barbieri CH, Mazzer N, Fazan VS (2008) A laserterapia de baixa intensidade acelera a regeneração de nervos periféricos. Acta Ortop Bras 16(5):305–310
dos Reis FA, Belchior AC, de Carvalho PT, da Silva BA, Pereira DM, Silva IS, Nicolau RA (2009) Effect of laser therapy (660 nm) on recovery of the sciatic nerve in rats after injury through neurotmesis followed by epineural anastomosis. Lasers Med Sci 24(5):741–747
Rochkind S, Rousso M, Nissan M, Villarreal M, Barr-Nea L, Rees DG (1989) Systemic effects of low-power laser irradiation on the peripheral and central nervous system, cutaneous wounds, and burns. Lasers Surg Med 9(2):174–182
de Medinaceli L, Freed WJ, Wyatt RJ (1982) An index of the functional condition of rat sciatic nerve based on measurements made from walking tracks. Exp Neurol 77(3):634–643
de Medinaceli L, de Renzo E, Wyatt RJ (1984) Rat sciatic functional index data management system with digitized input. Comput Biomed Res 17(2):185–192
Bain JR, Mackinnon SE, Hunter DA (1989) Functional evaluation of complete sciatic, peroneal, and posterior tibial nerve lesions in the rat. Plast Reconstr Surg 83(1):129–138
Andraus RAC, Barbieri CH, Mazzer N (2010) Local low power laser irradiation accelerates the regeneration of the fibular nerve in rats. Acta Ortop Bras 18(3):152–157
Bervar M (2000) Video analysis of standing—an alternative footprint analysis to assess functional loss following injury to the rat sciatic nerve. J Neurosci Methods 102:109–116
Smit X, van Neck JW, Ebeli MJ, Hovius SER (2004) Static footprint analysis: a time-saving functional evaluation of nerve repair in rats. Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg Hand Surg 38(6):321–325
Oliveira EF, Mazzer N, Barbieri CH, Selli M (2001) Correlation between functional index and morphometry to evaluate recovery of the rat sciatic nerve following crush injury: experimental study. J Reconstr Microsurg 17(1):69–75
Varejão ASP, Meek MF, Ferreira AJA, Patrício JAB, Cabrita AMS (2001) Functional evaluation of peripheral nerve regeneration in the rat: walking track analysis. J Neurosci Methods 108:1–9
Beer GM, Steurer J, Meyer VE (2001) Standardizing nerve crushes with a non-serrated clamp. J Reconstr Microsurg 17:531–534
Varejaõ AS, Cabrita AM, Meek MF, Bulas-Cruz J, Melo-Pinto P, Raimondo S, Geuna S, Giacobini-Robecchi MG (2004) Functional and morphological assessment of a standardized rat sciatic nerve crush injury with a non-serrated clamp. J Neurotrauma 21:1652–1670
Nissan M, Rochkind S, Razon N, Bartal A (1986) HeNe laser irradiation delivered transcutaneously: its effect on the sciatic nerve of rats. Lasers Surg Med 6:435–438
Lowe AS, Baxter GD, Walsh DM, Allen JM (1994) Effect of low intensity laser (830 nm) irradiation on skin temperature and antidromic conduction latencies in the human median nerve: relevance of radiant exposure. Lasers Surg Med 14:40–46
Assia E, Rosner M, Belkin M, Solomon A, Schwarts M (1989) Temporal parameters of low energy laser irradiation for optimal delay of post-traumatic degeneration of rat optic nerve. Brain Res 476:205–212
Breugel HHFI, Bär PR (1993) He-Ne laser irradiation affects proliferation of cultured rat Schwann cells in a dose-dependent manner. J Neurocytol 22:185–190
Hamilton GF, Robinson TK, Ray RH (1992) The effects of helium-neon laser upon regeneration of the crushed peroneal nerve. J Orthop Sport Phys Ther 15:209–214
Khullar SM, Brodin P, Messelt EB, Haanaes HR (1995) The effects of low level laser treatment on recovery of nerve conduction and motor function after compression injury in the rat sciatic nerve. Eur J Oral Sci 103:299–305. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0722.1995.tb00030.x
Khullar SM, Brodin P, Fristad I, Kvinnsland IH (1999) Enhanced sensory reinnervation of dental target tissues in rats following low level laser (LLL) irradiation. Lasers Med Sci 14:177–184. doi:10.1007/s101030050082
Walsh DM, Baxter GD, Allen JM (2000) Lack of effect of pulsed low-intensity infrared (820 nm) laser irradiation on nerve conduction in the human superficial radial nerve. Lasers Surg Med 26:485–490. doi:10.1002/1096-9101(2000)26:5<485::AID-LSM8>3.0.CO;2-6
Shamir MH, Rochkind S, Sandbank J, Alon M (2001) Doubleblind randomized study evaluating regeneration of the rat transected sciatic nerve after suturing and postoperative low-power laser treatment. J Reconstr Microsurg 17:133–137. doi:10.1055/ s-2001-12702
Nicolau RA, Martinez MS, Rigau J, Tomàs J (2004) Effect of power 655 nm diode laser irradiation on the neuromuscular junctions of the mouse diaphragm. Lasers Surg Med 34:277–284. doi:10.1002/lsm.20006
Byrnes KR, Waynant RW, Ilev IK, Wu X, Barna L, Smith K, Heckert R, Gerst H, Anders JJ (2005) Light promotes regeneration and functional recovery and alters the immune response after spinal cord injury. Lasers Surg Med 36:171–185. doi:10.1002/lsm.20143
Reis FA, Belchior ACG, Nicolau RA, Fonseca TS, Carvalho PTC (2008) Effect of gallium-aluminum-arsenide laser therapy (660 Nm) on recovery of the sciatic nerve in rats following neurotmesis lesion and epineural anastomosis: functional analysis. Rev Bras Fisioter 12(3):215–221
Bagis S, Comelekoglu U, Sahin G, Buyukakilli B, Erdogan C, Kanik A (2002) Acute electrophysiologic effect of pulsed gallium-arsenide low energy laser irradiation on configuration of compound nerve action potential and nerve excitability. Lasers Surg Med 30:376–380. doi:10.1002/lsm.10057
Rochkind S, Nissan M, Lubart R, Avram J, Bartal A (1988) The in-vivo nerve response to direct low-energy-laser irradiation. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 94:74–77. doi:10.1007/BF01406620
Rochkind S, Vogler I, Barr-Nea L (1990) Spinal cord response to laser treatment of injured peripheral nerve. Spine 15:6–10. doi:10.1097/00007632-199001000-00003
Bridge PM, Ball DJ, Mackinnon SE, Nakao Y, Brandt K, Hunter DA, Hertl C (1994) Nerve crush injuries: a model for axonotmesis. Exp Neurol 127:284–290
Belchior ACG, Dos Reis FA, Nicolau RA, Silva IS, Perreira DM, De Carvalho PTC (2009) Influence of laser (660 nm) on functional recovery of the sciatic nerve in rats following crushing lesion. Lasers Med Sci 24:893–899
Barbosa RI, Marcolino AM, de Jesus Guirro RR, Mazzer N, Barbieri CH, de Cássia Registro Fonseca M (2010) Comparative effects of wavelengths of low-power laser in regeneration of sciatic nerve in rats following crushing lesion. Lasers Med Sci 25(3):423–430
Mohammed IF, Kaka LN (2007) Promotion of regenerative processes in injured peripheral nerve induced by low level laser therapy. Photomed Laser Surg 25(2):107–111
Shin DH, Lee E, Hyun JK, Lee SJ, Chang PY, Kim JW, Choid YS, Bum SK (2003) Growth-associated protein-43 is elevated in the injured rat sciatic nerve after low power laser irradiation. Neurosci Lett 344:71–74
Yu P, Matloub HS, Sanger JR, Narini P (2001) Gait analysis in rats with peripheral nerve injury. Muscle Nerve 24(2):231–239
Meek MF, Den Dunnen WF, Schakenraad JM, Robinson PH (1999) Long-term evaluation of functional nerve recovery after reconstruction with a thin-walled biodegradable poly (DL-lactide-epsilon-caprolactone) nerve guide, using walking track analysis and electrostimulation tests. Microsurgery 19(5):247–253
Monte-Raso VV, Barbieri CH, Mazzer N, Yamasita AC, Barbieri G (2008) Is the Sciatic Functional Index always reliable and reproducible? J Neurosci Methods 170:255–261
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Takhtfooladi, M.A., Jahanbakhsh, F., Takhtfooladi, H.A. et al. Effect of low-level laser therapy (685 nm, 3 J/cm2) on functional recovery of the sciatic nerve in rats following crushing lesion. Lasers Med Sci 30, 1047–1052 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-015-1709-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-015-1709-6