Electrophysiological Changes after Low-Power Infrared Laser Irradiation on Injured Rat Sciatic Nerves

저출력 적외선 레이저가 손상된 말초신경의 재생에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 흰쥐의 양측 좌골신경에 압궤손상을 준 뒤, 레이저 조사 기간에 따라 1, 3, 5 및 7주군으로 나누어 손상된 좌골신경의 신경전도속도와 진폭을 측정하여 신경재생의 정도를 관찰한 결과는 다음과 같았다. 좌골신경전도속도 검사에서 압궤손상 유발후에 손상전보다 유의하게 전도속도가 지연되었으나, 레이저를 조사한 실험측은 치료후 3주에 현저하게 신경전도 속도가 증가하였다. 좌골신경 진폭 검사에서 압궤손상 유발후에 손상전보다 유의하게 진폭이 감소하였으나, 레이저를 조사한 실험측은 치료후 3주에 복합근 활동전위의 진폭이 유의하게 증가하였다. 이상의 결과로 보아, 저출력 레이저 조사는 손상된 좌골신경의 기능회복에 있어, 주로 손상 초기의 회복속도에 영향을 주는 것으로 생각되는 바, 향후 말초신경 손상의 재활치료에 고려해야 할 것으로 생각된다. 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.