Circulatory leukotriene changes during bone healing following osteotomies prepared with Er:YAG laser and piezosurgery: an animal study

Abstract

Among high-energy lasers, the short-pulsed infrared erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Er:YAG) laser has shown the best potential for precise cutting and rapid osseous healing. The objective of the present study was to analyse the healing of the bone tissue treated with short-pulsed infrared erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser in contact and non-contact mode and piezosurgery in relation to the circulatory leukotriene B4 and cysteinyl leukotrienes. Twenty-four 10-week-old adult male Wistar rats were used. Three osteotomies on the medial part of the tibia were performed on each animal: one on the right tibia and two ones on the left tibia. After surgery, six animals were immediately euthanized and the others were euthanized after 1, 2 and 3 weeks. The bone healing after osteotomy was analysed by a laser-based profilometry. After euthanasia, blood samples were taken from the abdominal aorta and collected for further analysis of the circulatory leukotriene B4 and cysteinyl leukotrienes. A decrease in the osteotomy volume resulted from bone healing during the 3-week period. After the third week, there was almost complete healing of the prepared osteotomies. The circulating levels of both LTB4 and Cys-LTs at 7 and 14 days after osteotomy, were significantly reduced in comparison with the initial levels (p < 0.001 for LTB4 and p < 0.05 for Cys-LTs). On the 21st day after surgical treatment, only the circulating levels of LTB4 were significantly decreased compared to those on day 7 (p < 0.001) and day 14 (p < 0.05). All osteotomies healed through a significant decrease in both examined circulatory LTs.