title: Use of low-power laser to assist the healing of traumatic wounds in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the morphological aspects of the healing of traumatic wounds in rats using low-power laser.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty four non isogenic, young adult male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) weighing between 200 and 300 g was used. The animals were randomly distributed into two groups: Control (GC) and Laser (GL), with 12 animals each. After shaving, anesthesia was performed in the dorsal region and then a surgical procedure using a scalpel was carried out to make the traumatic wound. GL received five sessions of laser therapy in consecutive days using the following laser parameters: wavelength 660 nm, power 100 mW, dose 10 J/cm2. The wounds were evaluated through measurement of the area and depth of the wound (MW) and histological analysis (HA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When comparing the GC with the GL in MW there was a difference in area (p<0.001) and depth (p=0.003) measurement of the wounds in GL. The laser group presented more epithelization than GC (p=0.03). The other histological parameters were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The healing of wounds in rats was improved with the use of the laser.
authors: Nucleus for Experimental Surgery Laboratory, Federal University of San Francisco Valley, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
authors: Fernanda Camila Ferreira da Silva
authors: FC
authors: Calisto
authors: University Hospital, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
authors: Sérgio Luís da Silva
authors: SL
authors: Calisto
authors: School of Medicine, Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Amanda Pires de
authors: AP
authors: Souza
authors: Nove de Julho University, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Cristiane Miranda
authors: CM
authors: França
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, Federal University Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors: Ana Paula de Lima
authors: AP
authors: Ferreira
authors: Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anesthesiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, UNIVASF, Petrolina, PE, Brazil.
authors: Márcia Bento
authors: MB
authors: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000528:radiation effects; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000528:radiation effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*