The Effects of Helium-Neon Laser upon Regeneration of the Crushed Peroneal Nerve.

This study was conducted to determine whether helium-neon laser would alter the regeneration process of a crushed nerve. If a biostimulating effect of laser irradiation was found, additional support would be provided for its use in the management of peripheral nerve injured patients. The peroneal nerve in both hind limbs of 12 female New Zealand White rabbits was crushed. The randomly selected limb received laser treatments daily for 15 days. Functional regeneration of the nerves was measured by nerve conduction amplitude performed prior to crush and every third treatment day thereafter. A split-plot ANOVA used to compare the difference in the amplitudes of the evoked motor potentials demonstrated a significant interaction (p < .01) for leg x day, indicating a significantly different pattern in measured amplitudes between treated and nontreated animal limbs over the course of the 15 days following lesion. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1992;15(5):209-214.