[Effect of low-energy laser irradiation on the functional state of the acoustic analyzer (experimental study)]

The acoustic function of guinea-pigs (in terms of ERA) before and after middle ear laser treatment (LHe-75, radiation intensity 15-17 mW, total dose 63 J/cm2, number of exposures 14) was investigated. The experiment was carried out using three groups of animals. Group 1 included healthy young animals. Group 2 consisted of adult animals with no signs of otitis media suppurativa. Group 3 involved adult guinea-pigs with chronic suppurative otitis media. After laser treatment all the animals showed increase of amplitudes of all ERA peaks, specifically of the first peak, an increase of the A1/A4 ratio, and an insignificant shortening of L1 at low sound intensities in group 1 and group 2 animals. This may suggest a greater excitation of the first component of the acoustic system. The group 3 animals exhibited a greater L1; this indicates that laser therapy of an untreated cavity during chronic otitis media may aggravate the pathological process. This pathology requires pretreatment of the middle ear cavity and laser therapy in combination with other therapeutic measures. None of the treated animals showed changes of the second time interval, whereas the third time interval (central time of conduction) became shorter, particularly on the side exposed to laser treatment. Our findings demonstrated differences in responses of adult and young animals to laser treatment (distinct shortening of the central time of conduction in those latter) which obviously needs further study.