Nanostructure changes in the intervertebral discs after experimental laser irradiation.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine
• Spine Research

Background:

• Intervertebral disc degeneration is a significant cause of back pain.
• Current treatments for disc degeneration have limitations.
• Minimally invasive therapeutic approaches are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate laser-induced changes in intervertebral disc nanostructure.
• To evaluate the regenerative potential of diode laser therapy on damaged discs.
• To determine optimal laser parameters for therapeutic effects.

Main Methods:

• Modeling of proximal caudal intervertebral disc alteration in rats via puncture.
• Exposure of punctured discs to diode laser (2, 3, or 5 W) in constant or pulse regimens.
• Quantification of nanostructural changes using atomic force microscopy (AFM) parameters: surface skewness, root mean square roughness, average roughness, and kurtosis coefficient.

Main Results:

• Laser exposure at 2-3 W, in both constant and pulse regimens, demonstrated the most significant positive effects.
• Regenerative changes in the surface microstructure of intervertebral discs were observed.
• Higher laser power (5 W) did not yield comparable regenerative outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Diode laser therapy, particularly at 2-3 W, shows promise for promoting regenerative changes in intervertebral disc microstructure.
• AFM is a valuable tool for assessing laser-induced nanostructural alterations in discs.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical application of this laser therapy for disc repair.