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Objective: Assessment of Low Level Laser (LLL) effects on muscular repair and capability following sciatic nerve injury as animal model.
Design: Experimental study.
Animals: Ten male and female 30 ± 6 month-old mixed breed dogs between 27±6 kg body-weight.
Procedures: Animals were subsequently divided into two groups of (control and experimental) of 5 dogs each. Then anesthesia was induced. Skin was incised and the muscular dissection performed. The right sciatic nerve was exposed
in all dogs and crushed in full thickness using artery
forceps for 5 •seconds. The experimental group was
subjected to LLL regimen, daily ten minutes for two weeks. The electromyography (EMG) was recorded from semimembranosus (S1), and semitendinosus (S2),
Extensors (Ext), and Flexors (Flex) muscles before, after crush, 14,28 and 45 post-operative days. Statistical analysis: Variance analysis by ANOVA and Turkey's test.
Results: EMG recording showed significant differences in muscle forced in SI and S2 in experimental group by comparison with control one.
Clinical implications: The evaluation of LLL showed to be helpful to reduce muscle atrophy. J.Fac. Vet.Med. Univ. Tehran. 60,4:327-331,2005.