Effect of GaAlAs Laser Irradiation on the Epiphyseal Cartilage of Rats

Abstract Objective: To study the effect of an 830-nm gallium–aluminum–arsenic (GaAlAs) diode laser at two different energy densities (5 and 15 J/cm2) on the epiphyseal cartilage of rats by evaluating bone length and the number of chondrocytes and thickness of each zone of the epiphyseal cartilage. Background Data: Few studies have been conducted on the effects of low-level laser therapy on the epiphyseal cartilage at different irradiation doses. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 male Wistar rats with 23 days of age and weighing 90 g on average were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (CG, no stimulation), G5 group (energy density, 5 J/cm2), and G15 group (energy density, 15 J/cm2). Laser treatment sessions were administered every other day for a total of 10 sessions. The animals were killed 24 h after the last treatment session. Histological slides of the epiphyseal cartilage were stained with hematoxylin–eosin (HE), photographed with a Zeiss photomicroscope, and subjected to histometric and ...