Lasers in medical science
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Lasers in medical science · Jul 2018
Treatment of post-burn and post-traumatic atrophic scars with fractional CO2 laser: experience at a tertiary care centre.
Scars are abnormal wound responses in predisposed individuals. They occur after any kind of wound and skin inflammation in predisposed individuals. Despite their benign nature, they can be aesthetically disabling. ⋯ A mean of six treatments per scar were required and all patients, followed up for 1 year after the last treatment, had optimum results and no recurrence. Response to treatment was excellent in 53.75%, good in 16.25% patients, and poor in 30% patients. Fractional CO2 laser gives a very good result in the management of patients with post-burn scars as well as post-traumatic scars with minimal adverse effects.
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Lasers in medical science · Jul 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialLow-level laser therapy in the management of plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial.
This study aimed at estimating the extent to which a combination therapy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with exercise and orthotic support (usual care) affects functional ability in the patient with plantar fasciitis (PF) when compared to usual care alone. Participants with PF were randomly allocated into two groups: LLLT (n = 27) and control (n = 22). All the participants received home exercise program with orthotic support. ⋯ The groups were comparable with each other for both walking speed and cadence at all assessment times (p > 0.05). Both groups showed significant reduction in pain over 3 months (LLLT, p < 0.001; control, p = 0.01); however, the LLLT group had lower pain than the control group at 3 months (p = 0.03). The combination therapy of LLLT with usual care is more effective to improve functional outcomes and activity-related pain when compared to usual care alone.
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Lasers in medical science · Feb 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialNon-specific effects and clusters of women with painful TMD responders and non-responders to LLLT: double-blind randomized clinical trial.
The aim was to analyze the non-specific effects (placebo, spontaneous remission, and regression to the mean) of the low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in women with myofascial pain (painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD)), as well as to differentiate between responders and non-responder clusters to active and placebo LLLT according to the anxiety levels, salivary cortisol, use of oral contraceptives, and premenstrual period. Sixty-four women diagnosed with myofascial pain (Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD)) were included, divided into laser (n = 20), placebo group (n = 21), and 23 controls (without treatment (WT)). The LLLT applied was 780 nm, masseter and temporal = 5 J/cm2 (20 mW-0.5 W/cm2), and TMJ area = 7.5 J/cm2 (30 mW-0.8 W/cm2), eight sessions, twice a week. ⋯ Active and placebo LLLT had similar effectiveness during the treatment period; however, women with moderate anxiety, cortisol levels above 10 ng/ml, and without contraceptive use maintain analgesia longer with active LLLT than placebo (follow-up 30 days). Women with low levels of anxiety, salivary cortisol below 10 ng/ml, and with contraceptive use showed the higher pain reduction. The analgesia promoted by LLLT in women with myofascial pain is a result of non-specific effects during the treatment period, although active LLLT is more effective in maintaining the analgesia after treatment (30 days) for the cluster of women with moderate anxiety, salivary cortisol above 10 ng/ml, and without contraceptive use.
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Lasers in medical science · Dec 2017
Clinical assessment of diode laser-assisted endoscopic intrasphenoidal vidian neurectomy in the treatment of refractory rhinitis.
For chronic rhinitis that is refractory to medical therapy, surgical intervention such as endoscopic vidian neurectomy (VN) can be used to control the intractable symptoms. Lasers can contribute to minimizing the invasiveness of ENT surgery. The aim of this retrospective study is to compare in patients who underwent diode laser-assisted versus traditional VN in terms of operative time, surgical field, quality of life, and postoperative complications. ⋯ The application of diode lasers for vidian nerve transection showed a better surgical field and a lower incidence of postoperative hemorrhage. Recent advancements in laser application and endoscopic technique has made VN safer and more effective. We recommend this surgical approach as a reliable and effective treatment for patients with refractory rhinitis.
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Lasers in medical science · Dec 2017
Effect of low-level laser therapy (λ780 nm) on the mechanically damaged dentin-pulp complex in a model of extrusive luxation in rat incisors.
In order to regenerate the dental pulp, many strategies have been developed as phototherapy. In the pulp repair, we do not know if gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs) laser preserves the primary odontoblasts or stimulates the formation of more dentin matrix when dental pulp is damaged. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of laser phototherapy (λ780 nm) on vascularization, inflammation, density of the primary odontoblast layer, and formation of reactionary and reparative dentin in the dental pulp by provoking extrusion of the rat incisor. ⋯ The density of primary odontoblasts in the groups treated with lasers was higher when compared to non-irradiated groups, but no statistically significant difference between groups (p > 0.05). The thickness of the tertiary dentin was increased in both traumatized groups with no statistically significant difference between non-irradiated and irradiated groups (p > 0.05). The present findings revealed that the GaAlAs laser induced small changes on dentin-pulp complex, with more regular dentin matrix in the irradiated dental pulps.