Laser Treatment - Low-Level

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of red and blue light-emitting diodes (LED) and low-level laser (LLL) on the regeneration of the transected sciatic nerve after an end-to-end neurorrhaphy in rabbits. Forty healthy mature male New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned into four experimental groups: control, LLL (680 nm), red LED (650 nm), and blue LED (450 nm). All animals underwent the right sciatic nerve neurotmesis injury under general anesthesia and end-to-end anastomosis. The phototherapy was initiated on the first postoperative day and lasted for 14 consecutive days at the same time of the day. On the30th day post-surgery, the animals whose sciatic nerves were harvested for histopathological analysis were euthanized. The nerves were analyzed and quantified the following findings: Schwann cells, large myelinic axons, and neurons. In the LLL group, as compared to other groups, an increase in thenumber of all analyzed aspects was observed with significance level (P < 0.05). This finding suggests that postoperative LLL irradiation was able to accelerate and potentialize the peripheral nerve regeneration process in rabbits within 14 days of irradiation.