title: The therapeutic effect of low-level laser on repair of osteochondral defects in rabbit knee.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to enhance collagen production and wound healing but its effect on cartilage repair from biomechanical point of view is not known yet. The aim of present study was to evaluate the biomechanical behaviour of repairing osteochondral defect in rabbits which received a pulsed low-level gallium-arsenide (Ga-As) laser irradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Osteochondral defects with 5mm diameter and 4mm in depth induced by drilling in right femoral patellar grooves of 41 adolescent male rabbits. They were divided into experimental and control groups. Experimental group received pulsed Ga-As (890nm) laser irradiation with energy density of 4.8J/cm(2). The rabbits in control group received placebo LLLT with shut-down equipment. The control defects were allowed to heal spontaneously. Each group were divided into three subgroups: A, B and C. Subgroups A, B and C were sacrificed on 4, 8, and 16 weeks after surgery. The knee joint were removed, and the defects were examined biomechanically by in situ-indentation method. The thickness, instantaneous and equilibrium indentation stiffness was measured during the test. Data were analysed using ANOVA and independent sample t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While no difference was observed in the repaired cartilage biomechanical properties among 4th, 8th, 16th weeks in study groups. The equilibrium indentation stiffness of experimental group was significantly higher in 8th week in comparison with control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLT significantly enhances the stiffness of repairing tissue in the 8th week post injury in osteochondral defects in rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Tehran, Iran. fahimehkamali@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Fahimeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kamali
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayat
authors.forename: Giti
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torkaman
authors.forename: Esmaeel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.forename: Mahyar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salavati
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D005121:Extremities; D005269:Femur / Q000293:injuries; D007596:Joints; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing