title: Effect of nonablative laser energy on the joint capsule: an in vivo rabbit study using a holmium:YAG laser.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The nonablative application of holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) laser energy to the joint capsule of patients with glenohumeral instability has been found to shrink capsular tissue and to help stabilize the joint. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nonablative laser energy on the short-term histological properties of joint capsular tissue in an in vivo rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen mature New Zealand white rabbits were used in this study. One randomly selected stifle was treated with laser energy, and the contralateral stifle was sham-operated. Animals were euthanized immediately after surgery (day 0), at 7 days postsurgery and 30 days postsurgery. Specimens were processed for histology and transmission electron microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Laser-treated samples at day 0 showed diffuse hyalinization of collagen with nuclear karyorrhexis of fibroblasts. Laser-treated tissue at 7 days postsurgery revealed fibroblast proliferation around and into acellular hyalinized regions of collagen. At 30 days postlaser treatment, areas of fused collagen were greatly reduced as large reactive fibroblasts migrated and secreted matrix.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study illustrates the short-term in vivo tissue response to nonablative laser treatment, where acellular hyalinized regions of collagen are infiltrated by fibroblasts that have used the treated collagen as the framework for migration and secretion of new collagen matrix in order for tissue repair to proceed.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nieckarz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thabit
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bogdanske
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cooley
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Markel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005269:Femur; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D017746:Joint Capsule / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010329:Patella; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen