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The purpose of this study was to determine effects of the Ga-As (Gallium-Arsenide) Dens-Bio laser on mechanically injured sciatic nerves of rats. The improvement of the injured rat sciatic nerve was evaluated by measuring of nerve conduction velocity and amplitude of compound muscle action potential. The sciatic nerves of forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were compressed with hemostatic forceps for 30 seconds. The experimental group was divided into 4 subgroups according to the duration of treatment. Lower power infrared laser irradiation was done transcutaneously to the injured sciatic nerve area, 3 minutes daily to each of four treatment groups for 1, 3, 5, and 7 weeks, respectively. Compound muscle action potential and nerve conduction velocity of sciatic nerve were obtained before nerve injury and at 1, 3, 5, and 7 weeks after injury. There were significant difference of the nerve conduction velocity and amplitudes of compound muscle action potential between the treatment group and non-treatment group at 1, 3, and 5 weeks after laser treatment. However, there were no differences found between the electrophysiologic parameters that were measured after 7 weeks in two groups. There was significant correlation between the increment of compound muscle action potential and nerve conduction velocity after time course according to laser treatment. In conclusion, the low power laser treatment had improved the sciatic nerve function, and therefore these results may provide the basic data to clarify the neurological recovery and treatment after incomplete peripheral nerve injury.
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