Effects of laser therapy in CO2 laser wounds in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of laser therapy and its possible dose dependency on the healing of CO2 laser surgical wounds.


BACKGROUND
Several reports from our group and others have indicated that light therapies may improve healing, depending on wavelength, dose, intensity of the light, and both local and systemic conditions.


METHODS
Circular surgical wounds were created on the dorsum of Wistar rats, which were separated into three groups (A, B, and C). Group A acted as control and had no additional treatment. Groups B and C were irradiated with GaAlAs lambda685-nm laser light, either with 20 J/cm2 (Group B) or 40 J/cm2 (Group C). The animals were humanely killed at the end of the experimental period; specimens were taken and routinely processed to wax and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, Sirius Red, and alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin (alphaSMA).


RESULTS
Laser-irradiated groups showed a healing process characterized by a more prominent fibroblastic proliferation, with young fibroblasts actively producing collagen; no myofibroblasts were found. No statistically significant differences were observed when the different doses were compared.


CONCLUSIONS
It may be concluded that, using this methodology, laser therapy has a positive effect in wound healing produced by CO2 laser, and the dose has no influence on the treatment.
Grbavac
Rita Adriana Oliveira
RA
Department of Stomatology and Oral Surgery, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Rita.Oliveira-Grbavac@medecine.unige.ch
Veeck
Elaine Bauer
EB
Bernard
Jean-Pierre
JP
Ramalho
Luciana Maria Pedreira
LM
Pinheiro
Antonio Luiz Barbosa
AL
D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003094:Collagen