Good news for sports stars with torn tendons. Research carried out by the US Department of Defense (DoD) shows that laser light can help heal such injuries. It could provide an alternative to glues, sutures or staples, which can all cause disfigurement and infection. And it might even be used to repair damaged eyes, its inventors claim.
DoD experts found that rose Bengal sodium, a dye commonly used to stain biological samples, absorbs light with a wavelength of 550 nanometres. In addition, instead of simply getting hotter as light is absorbed, the dye releases oxygen and catalyses the cross-linking of nearby amino acids.
So, if the dye is painted onto the sides of a torn tendon, and illuminated while the tear is held closed, collagen will bind it together and give natural healing a kick start. A lengthy patent application details numerous successful experiments carried out by the DoD's Medical Free Electron Laser Program
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