Low-level laser therapy combined with platelet-rich plasma on the healing calcaneal tendon: a histological study in a rat model

• DOI: 10.1007/s10103-012-1241-x
• Publication Date: 2013-01-09T16:54:37Z
• Authors: Danillo Barbosa; Renato Aparecido ...; Wellington Robert...; Murilo Xavier; Paula Kariluce de...; Tereza Cristina R...; Emilia Ângela Los...; Landulfo Silveira; Antonio Balbin Vi...
• Keywords: Male; Wound Healing; Platelet-Rich Plasma; Combined Modality Therapy; Collagen Type I; Rats; Calcaneus; 03 medical and health sciences; Collagen Type III; Tenotomy; 0302 clinical medicine; Tendon Injuries; Animals; Low-Level Light Therapy; Rats, Wistar

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) treatment alone (λ = 660 nm and λ = 830 nm) or associated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP). We used 54 male rats divided into six groups, with nine animals each: group 1, partial tenotomy; group 2 (GII), PRP; group 3 (GIII): λ660 nm; group 4 (GIV), λ830 nm; group 5 (GV), PRP + λ660 nm; and group 6 (GVI), PRP + λ830 nm. The protocol used was power density 0.35 W/cm(2), energy 0.2 J, energy density 7.0 J/cm(2), time 20 s per irradiated point, and number of points 3. Animals in groups GII, GV, and GVI received treatment with PRP, consisting of a single dose of 0.2 mL directly into the surgical site, on top of the tenotomy. Animals were killed on the 13th day post-tenotomy and their tendons were surgically removed for a quantitative analysis using polarization microscopy. The percentages of collagen fibers of types I and III were expressed as mean ± SD. Higher values of collagen fibers type I were obtained for groups GV and GVI when compared with all other groups (p < 0.05), whereas groups GIII and GIV showed no significant difference between them (p > 0.05). For collagen type III, a significant difference was observed between GII and all other groups (p < 0.5), but no significant difference was found between GIII and GIV and between GV and GVI. Results showed that the deposition of collagen type I was higher when treatment with PRP and LLLT was combined, suggesting a faster regeneration of the tendon.