title: Effects of laser irradiation on the spinal cord for the regeneration of crushed peripheral nerve in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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 days after surgery. The two groups were found to be significantly different during follow-up period (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that low-power laser irradiation applied directly to the spinal cord can improve recovery of the corresponding insured peripheral nerve.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Rochkind
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Nissan
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Alon
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Shamir
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Salame
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D053685:Laser Therapy; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000528:radiation effects*