He-Ne laser effects on blood microcirculation during wound healing: a method of in vivo study through laser Doppler flowmetry.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Low-intensity laser therapy (LILT) is widely used for wound healing promotion and its mechanism of action may be due to an enhancement of blood supply. The aim of this study was to evaluate blood flow alterations in a wound healing model, using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) associated with a normalized perfusion parameter. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS An injury was provoked in 15 rats and blood flow was measured periodically over a period of 21 days. Control groups were established to evaluate LDF and He-Ne laser effects on microcirculation. A 1 J/cm(2) dose was utilized, with 6 mW/cm(2) irradiance. RESULTS The results demonstrated flow alterations provoked by lesion, and inflammatory response (P < 0.05). There were no statistical differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS The results did not show a significant sustained effect on microcirculation with this He-Ne dose.