Helium-neon laser improves bone repair in rabbits: comparison at two anatomic sites.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of helium-neon laser on bone repair of femur and tibia in rabbits. For this purpose, 15 New Zealand rabbits underwent bilateral bone damage (tibia and femur) using a spherical bur. Helium-neon laser light, at a fluency of 6 J∕cm(2) and wavelength of 632.8 nm was applied on the left legs (laser group). The right tibia or femur lesions (control group) served as negative control. All sections were histopathologically analyzed using HE sections and the morphometric data from bone tissue and hyaline cartilage were achieved. Histopathological analysis showed regular bone trabeculae covered by osteoblastic cells after 1 week in the group exposed to laser therapy from femur and tibia indistinctly. After 3 weeks, the laser group showed new bone formation coming from the bony walls in the femur and tibia as well. On the 5th week, well-defined trabecula undergoing remodeling process was detected for the most intense pattern in tibia only. Morphometric analysis revealed significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) in the bone tissue for the laser-exposed group on 1st and 3rd weeks. After 5th week, bone formation was increased to tibia only. Taken together, such findings suggest that helium-neon laser is able to improve bone repair in rabbits being the most pronounced effect in tibia.