EFFECT OF LOW-LEVEL ENERGY LASER IRRADIATION ON WOUND-HEALING - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RATS

In this randomized experimental study the wound healing process in rats was investigated after treatment with low level energy laser. In the caudal area of the back of 38 rats, standardized full thickness wounds were punched out bilaterally. The animals were randomly divided into two groups, A and B with 19 rats in each group. Group A was laser irradiated on one side wound (A1), leaving the contralateral side as a control of possible systemic effects (A2). Group B was given placebo irradiation (ordinary light) on one side (B1) and the contralateral side was left without treatment (B2). Two animals from each group were sacrificed continuously every second day from day 3. Neither the clinical nor the microscopical examination of the wound healing process revealed any differences between group A1, A2, B1 and B2, during the observation period. This study did not confirm that low level energy laser treatment would affect the wound healing process.