Functional and Physical Outcomes following Use of a Flexible CO₂ Laser Fiber and Bipolar Electrocautery in Close Proximity to the Rat Sciatic Nerve with Correlation to an In Vitro Thermal Profile Model

Figure 9

Recordings of the compound nerve potentials (CNPs) amplitudes for different distances from the sciatic nerve. Each data point is an average of at least five replicate CNP amplitudes normalized to a series of recordings made before any laser pulse had been delivered. Because the left and right sciatic nerves were often used for different power settings, an individual animal may be represented in two different power setting data sets. The number of replicates is therefore the number of independent nerves. 2 W (), 5 W (), and 10 W () from a total of 11 animals. For 2 W, no change in amplitude and hence nerve function can be observed. The results are more variable for 5 W and 10 W. However, the outcomes for the 10 W laser power setting are more deleterious to function than for the 5 W laser setting. Power setting amplitudes are significantly different by ANOVA ().