Laser Therapy In Patients Research Articles

The use of Laser technologies in the treatment of Basal cell carcinoma as a substitute for conventional surgery

Skin cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in the world population. Current prospective studies show promising results from the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) using the Nd:YAG laser. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of treating BCC with laser therapy. Retrospective, observational and cross-sectional study, compared 2 groups of patients; G1: 24 patients underwent conventional surgery and G2: 27 patients underwent laser therapy with long-pulse Nd:YAG 1064nm. Clinical, histopathological and photographic records were used. Study approved by the institution’s ethics and research committee. All patients treated with the Nd:YAG Laser showed clinical and histological cure in just 1 session, using a 6mm spot, fluence of 100-120J/cm2, pulse duration of 10ms. The safety of laser therapy was demonstrated by the low occurrence of adverse effects. The scars in Groups G1 and G2 had an appearance close to normal skin. The results of this study support randomized and controlled clinical trials for the use of laser therapy in patients with skin tumors, avoiding longer surgical times than conventional surgery, and allowing the patient to return to their usual activities sooner.

Efficacy of High-intensity laser therapy in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to assess the effects of High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) on individuals suffering from temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs). A search was conducted across six electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on HILT for TMDs: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library, the PEDro database and Google Scholar (last updated on July 18, 2024). Eligible studies were chosen by independent reviewers, and their quality was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB). The main outcome was pain intensity (VAS), with secondary outcomes including mouth opening (mm), disability (JFLS-20), and quality of life (OHIP-14). A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the pooled effect by calculating mean differences (MD) for these variables (95% confidence level). The heterogeneity of the meta-analyses was explored using the I2 statistic. Three studies met the selection criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The main RoB was the blinding of participant and treaters. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in favor of HILT were observed for VAS and maximum mouth opening. The pooled effect showed an MD of -14.8mm (95% CI:-27.1,-2.5) for pain intensity and 3.7mm (95% CI:0.9,6.5) for mouth opening, changes that were assessed as clinically important. According to GRADE, the evidence was rated as important, and the certainty was moderate due to the heterogeneity between studies. A sensitivity analysis was not performed to address heterogeneity, primarily due to the limited availability of RCTs. HILT has been found effective in short-term pain relief and improvement of jaw opening in TMDs, potentially enhancing quality of life by facilitating activities such as chewing, jaw mobility, and communication. However, further research is needed to confirm its long-term effectiveness. Combining HILT with interventions such as occlusal splints or therapeutic exercises could potentially enhance its effects, leveraging the existing evidence supporting these treatments. It is important to note that the high RoB associated with the lack of blinding of participants and treaters may influence data collection, compromising the internal validity of findings in some studies.

Comparing the Efficacy of Local Corticosteroid Injection and High-Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients with De Quervain Tenosynovitis

Background and Objective: De Quervain's tenosynovitis is one of the common causes of wrist pain. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of high-power laser therapy and local corticosteroid injection in the treatment of De Quervain's tenosynovitis. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial, 30 patients diagnosed with De tenosynovitis were randomly assigned to two groups of 15, A and B. Group A underwent high-power laser therapy, five sessions for three consecutive weeks, and group B received corticosteroid injections of 1 ml triamcinolone and 1 ml lidocaine 2% in the wrist under ultrasound guidance. Tendon thickness, pain intensity, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction were measured and compared in both groups pre-treatment, month one, and month three post-treatment. Results: In groups A and B, respectively, the mean scores of the thickness of extensor abductor pollicis longus and abductor pollicis brevis muscles before the treatment were 7.57±0.63 and 7.25±0.58 (P=0.120). these value were calculated at 6.55±0.61 and 6.54±0.40 one month later (P=0.955). They were 5.71±0.75 and 5.99±0.45 (P=0.239) mm three months post-treatment. In addition, pain scores before the treatment were 8.60±1.18 and 8.47±1.46 (P=0.785). One month later, they were 2.73±1.66 and 4.27±1.16 (C=0.785), and three months post-treatment, they were 1.73±1.33 and 2.47±1.06 (P=0.007). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of quality of life and satisfaction with treatment (P&lt;0.05 for all). Conclusion: Both local corticosteroid injection and high-power laser treatment methods were safe in the treatment of De Quervain's tenosynovitis, leading to a reduction in pain and tendon thickness, as well as an increase in the patient's quality of life

The improvement of pain symptoms in patients with burning mouth syndrome through combined laser and medication therapy.

The etiology of Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) remains unclear. To explore the differences in the therapeutic efficacy of pain improvement between medication therapy and laser therapy in patients with BMS. 45 BMS patients were randomly divided into three groups: The Combination therapy group (Group A, n= 15), The Medication therapy group (Group B, n= 15), and the Laser therapy group (Group C, n= 15). The pain condition of the patients was evaluated using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and the improvement in pain before and after treatment was compared among the three groups. All three groups (A, B, and C) showed a significant reduction in NRS scores after treatment, with statistically significant differences observed among the different groups. Group A exhibited the most significant improvement, with a statistically significant difference before and after treatment. Laser and medication therapy are effective methods for reducing oral burning pain * symptoms, and their combined use yields more significant therapeutic effects.

Morphological features of wound repair processes under low-level laser therapy in patients with diabetic foot syndrome

Purpose. To assess morphological features of tissue regeneration processes in lower extremities in patients with the diabetic foot syndrome after low-level laser therapy (LLLT).Materials and methods. The article presents a comparative retrospective analysis of the histological material of wound tissues in 125 patients with the diabetic foot syndrome (DFS). Studied material – histological sections of wound tissues stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The material was divided into two groups: main group – 65 micro-preparations of wound tissues of DFS patients who were treated traditionally plus LLLT; control group – 60 micro-preparations of wound tissues of DFS patients who had surgical wound debridement , then traditional comprehensive therapy with local wet-drying dressings.Results and discussion. The analysis of the obtained results has shown that LLLT promotes activation of cellular components and increases their number: macrophages, lymphocytes, fi broblasts. One can also see faster regenerative processes and granulation tissue formation as well as signifi cantly less area of wound surface, if to compare to the group of patients treated with traditional comprehensive wound management and local techniques.Conclusion. LLLT in the comprehensive management of patients with DFS purulent-necrotic forms can accelerate reparative processes in wound defects and signifi cantly reduce their area. It also helps to clean wounds, to reduce or eliminate infl ammatory processes within much shorter terms than under traditional care. LLLT stimulates production of granulation tissue and accelerates epithelialization as well.

Effects of high ligation plus endovenous laser therapy in patients with varicosis of great saphenous vein and type 2 diabetes.

To analyze the effects of high ligation plus endovenous laser therapy on intraoperative blood loss, postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and complications in patients with varicosis of great saphenous vein and type 2 diabetes. About 61 patients with varicosis of great saphenous vein and type 2 diabetes treated at our hospital were included. About 32 patients (37 affected limbs) receiving conventional surgery were included in control group, while 29 patients (34 affected limbs) receiving high ligation plus endovenous laser therapy were included in study group. The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative VAS scores, blood glucose levels, Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), and incidence of complications were compared between the two groups. Compared with the control group, there were less intraoperative blood loss (P < .05), shorter operation time (P < .05), and shorter length of postoperative hospital stay in the study group (P < .05). Besides, there was also lower VAS scores at different time points after surgery in the study group than in the control group (P < .05). Blood glucose levels were decreased in both groups after surgery (P < .05). Moreover, VCSS was decreased in either group at 3 months after surgery (P < .05). Blood glucose levels of patients in the study group were lower than those of the control group after surgery (P < .05). The VCSS was also lower in the study group at 3 months after surgery than in the control group (P < .05). High ligation with endovenous laser therapy for varicosis of great saphenous vein in patients with type 2 diabetes was safe and feasible.

Comparing Outcomes of Various Non-surgical Treatments, such as Scaling and Root Planing, Ultrasonic Therapy, and Laser Therapy

Abstract Background: Periodontitis is a prevalent inflammatory condition leading to progressive attachment loss and potential tooth loss. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy, including scaling and root planing (SRP), ultrasonic therapy, and laser therapy, is essential in managing periodontitis. This study compares the clinical and patient-reported outcomes of these three treatment modalities to determine their relative effectiveness. Objective: We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes and patient-reported experiences of SRP, ultrasonic therapy, and laser therapy in patients with chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved 126 participants with moderate-to-severe chronic periodontitis, randomly assigned to one of three groups (42 participants each): Group 1 (SRP), Group 2 (ultrasonic therapy), and Group 3 (laser therapy). Clinical outcomes, including clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP), were measured at baseline and 3 months post-treatment. Patient-reported outcomes such as pain, discomfort, and satisfaction were assessed using a visual analog scale. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, with a P &lt; 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: All groups showed significant improvements in CAL, PD, and BOP with no significant differences between groups (P &gt; 0.05). Laser therapy resulted in the lowest pain and discomfort scores and the highest satisfaction (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: SRP, ultrasonic therapy, and laser therapy are effective nonsurgical treatments for periodontitis, with comparable clinical outcomes. Laser therapy, however, offers superior patient comfort and satisfaction, suggesting that it may be a preferred option for patients sensitive to pain or discomfort.

Perioperative hemorheological status of oncological patients with primary knee replacement

Introduction. Endoprosthesis of large joints is associated with high risk of venous thromboembolism. Researchers focus on biochemical characteristics of homeostasis, blood clotting in particular, as the main reason for abnormal blood flow. At the same time, biophysical condition of homeostasis, namely decreased blood fluidity, is rarely considered. Study of rheological behavior of blood after primary oncological endoprosthesis of large joints in patients can potentially affect the selection of perioperative thromboprophylaxis and patient rehabilitation approach.Aim. To study the indicators of the hemorheological status of patients with tumours of long bones in the preand postoperative periods of primary oncological knee replacement.Materials and methods. The study included 36 patients (26 men and 10 women, mean age 46 years) without cardiovascular diseases and pathology of the veins of the lower limb admitted to the Russian Scientific Center of Roentgen Radiology for oncological endoprosthesis of the knee joint. All patients were prescribed: an antiplatelet agent (acetylsalicylic acid) and an anticoagulant (enoxaparin sodium 40 mg daily). Distal resection of the femur (on average 14 cm) was performed in 28 patients, and proximal resection of the tibia (on average 12 cm) in 8 patients, followed by knee replacement. Before the operation, on the 1st and 6th days after the operation, the hemorheological status and the state of the hemostasis system were evaluated in all patients. To determine the reference values, 24 healthy people were examined, comparable in gender and age. Statistical analysis using Statistica 10.0.Results. During the preoperative examination, integral assessment showed the differences in the severity of hemorheological disorders between patients, and two groups were identified: Group 1 – 21 (61 %) patients whose hemorheological disorders were classified as severity degree I, and Group 2 – 14 (39 %) patients with severity degree II d. On day 1 after the surgery, both patient groups showed negative dynamics: hemorheological disorders in group 1 worsened from grade I to II d., and in group 2 to III d. (critical) (p &lt;0.05). On day 6, the parameters did not change significantly in all patients. Similar dynamic changes were observed in the haemostasis system.Conclusion. Activation of the blood coagulation system and deterioration of hemorheology occurred after surgery during administration of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy. None of the patients had venous thromboembolic complications, however the risk of their development remained high. A differential model describing hemorheological status can be useful for selection of thromboprophylaxis and rehabilitation methods which include physical factors that improve the hemorheological profile: low-frequency magnetic and/or laser therapy in patients.

The effect of nondamaging subthreshold laser therapy in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

To evaluate the efficacy of nondamaging subthreshold laser therapy in Korean patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC). This retrospective interventional case series included 31 patients (31 eyes) with cCSC who underwent nondamaging laser therapy using Endpoint Management (EpM) software. Since a barely visible burn of the test spot was defined as 100% pulse energy, 30% pulse energy with a 200-μm spot was titrated to treat the macular area based on EpM settings. A 30% pulse laser with a spacing of 0.25-beam diameter was applied to cover the macular area where hyperfluorescent leaks were observed on fluorescein angiography. Changes in central macular thickness (CMT), subretinal fluid (SRF) height, subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT), and logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were measured at baseline and after 3 and 6months. If the subretinal fluid persisted for 3months, retreatment was performed. At 6months post-treatment, the complete SRF resolution rate was 48.39% (15/31 eyes), and the partial SRF resolution rate was 12.90% (4/31 eyes). The change in mean BCVA (logMAR) was not significant (0.31 ± 0.29 at the baseline and 0.31 ± 0.40 at month 6) (p = 0.943). At the baseline, the mean CMT (μm) decreased from 350.74 ± 112.76 at baseline to 239.71 ± 130.25 at month 6 (p < 0.001), and the mean SRF height (μm) decreased from 193.16 ± 90.69 at baseline to 70.58 ± 100.00 at month 6 (p < 0.001). However, the change in SCT was not statistically significant (p = 0.516). In 15 patients who were retreated at month 3, the mean SRF height (μm) decreased significantly from 144.67 ± 74.01 at month 3 to 77.13 ± 63.77 at month 6 (p = 0.002). No side effects associated with laser therapy were observed during the 6-month follow-up. Nondamaging laser therapy with a modified macular treatment was effective in reducing CMT and SRF and showed favorable visual and anatomical outcomes in patients with cCSC.

Effect of high-intensity laser therapy in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundChronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder known for its significant disability and economic burden, ranking second only to low back pain in musculoskeletal conditions. Physical therapy offers effective interventions for CNNP, including low-level laser therapy (LLLT). High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) is a recent treatment for musculoskeletal pain, but studies that support its use in CNNP are limited. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of high-intensity laser therapy on pain intensity in patients with CNNP, given the existing evidence on LLLT for this condition.MethodsThis is a 2-arm, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with blinded evaluators. The research will be carried out in the laboratory of physical agents at the Andrés Bello University, Campus Casona de las Condes. Eligible participants include the entire internal and external community associated with Andrés Bello University suffering from chronic non-specific NP. Participants will be stratified by sex (4 subgroups) and randomized into 2 study groups: group 1 (HILT and stretching exercises) and group 2 (sham HILT and stretching exercises). Treatments will be performed twice a week for 4 weeks with 3 assessments: before treatment (T0), at the end of treatment (T1), and 12 weeks after treatment (follow-up) (T2). The main outcomes will be pain intensity at rest, pain intensity at movement (active cervical movements: flexion, extension, right and left side bending, and right and left rotation), and pain pressure threshold (average obtained for six evaluation points). Secondary outcome measures will include neck range of motion in the sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes and neck disability.DiscussionIn this study, HILT’s effects on patients with non-specific NP will be compared to those of a sham laser intervention. This RCT will offer new evidence regarding the potential benefits of HILT in terms of pain intensity, range of movement, and disability in people suffering with non-specific NP.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05689788. January 19, 2023.

Evaluation of Anti-VEGF and Pan-Retinal Photocoagulation Laser Therapies in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Patients: A Systematic Review

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that is one of the top five causes of blindness in those over 50. The standard treatment is pan-retinal photocoagulation, which is effective but has established side effects. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy becomes an alternative to avoid the side effects caused by laser therapy. This systematic review aims to know the effectiveness of anti-VEGF therapy compared to the pan-retinal photocoagulation laser therapy in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. This review was carried out using a systematic review checklist on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). The articles reviewed were randomized controlled trial articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, six articles were selected from a total of 215. Patients who received anti-VEGF medication had better visual acuity (positive values), whereas patients who received laser therapy had poorer visual acuity (negative values). Those results are because the laser directs light towards the retina, damaging photoreceptors and retinal cells as well as reducing visual acuity. On the contrary, anti-VEGF prevents damage to retinal endothelial cells and blood leaks in the vitreous by decreasing VEGF expression and thus resulting in improved visual acuity. Anti-VEGF proved to be a more practical alternative therapy in improving visual acuity than pan-retinal photocoagulation for patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

The effectiveness of two types of low-level laser therapy in patients with persistent tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a perception disorder of sound with no hearing impulse. It is a very common otology complaint that leads to worsening quality of life. The experience of sound is only the product of neural system activity, with no matching mechanical or vibratory activity in the cochlea, and is unrelated to any external stimuli. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a medical treatment of tinnitus that uses low-energy-level lasers or light-emitting diodes to stimulate or inhibit cellular function. The study included nine patients aged 20-68 years with unilateral or bilateral tinnitus. It was a self-controlled clinical trial study on subjective tinnitus. All patients attended the ENT outpatient Department, Rzgari Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq. Two types of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) devices were used for patients. The first tool, a soft laser called a Tinnitool, has a wavelength of 660 nm and a power of 100 mW. The second tool is a Tinnitus Pen, which has a wavelength of 650 nm and a power of 5 mW. Seven females (77.7%) and two males (22.2%) participated in this study during one month. The mean age of the study sample was 44 years, with a standard deviation of 15.59 years. There was a significant improvement in the comparison of both types of therapy low-level laser before and after treatment, which reduced the tinnitus level among patients from 70% before treatment to 59% and 65.50%, respectively, after one month of treatment. A paired t test was applied to assess this difference before and after treatment. LLLT devices can be an effective device tool for the treatment of tinnitus and can reduce the symptoms of annoyance that affect the life of the sufferer.

Diode Laser Therapy for Radiation-Induced Vascular Ectasia: Long-Term Results and Cost Analysis.

Collateral damage to surrounding healthy tissues has been reported in patients who undergo radiation therapy for pelvic malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy and cost efficiency of endoscopic diode laser therapy in patients diagnosed with chronic radiation proctitis (CRP). The data of 24 patients (median age 78, range 67-90 years) who presented rectal bleeding and were diagnosed with CRP after undergoing high-dose radiotherapy for prostatic cancer and underwent diode laser therapy were evaluated retrospectively. Non-contact fibers were used in the patients who underwent the procedure without sedation in an outpatient setting. The patients underwent a median of two sessions; overall, a mean of 1591 J of laser energy per session was used. No complications were noted during or after the procedures. Bleeding was completely resolved in 21/24 (88%) patients, and two patients showed improvement (96%). It was not necessary to suspend antiplatelet (six patients) or anticoagulant (four patients) therapy during the treatment course. The mean cost per session was EUR 473.4. The study findings demonstrated that endoscopic non-contact diode laser treatment in CRP patients is safe, effective and cost efficient. For this procedure, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy suspension, intraprocedural sedation and hospital admission are not required.

Effectiveness of Ultrasound Plus Nerve Gliding Exercise with and without Low-level Laser Therapy in Patients with Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Introduction: Although carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an incident entrapment neuropathy disorder, there has been inadequate evidence about the effect evaluation of adding low-level laser therapy to ultrasound (US) plus median nerve glide exercises in these patients. Hence, this research investigated the trace of US plus median nerve glide exercises with and without low-level laser therapy (LLLT).&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients with moderate CTS in two groups of intervention were assessed. One group received 10 sessions of adding LLLT to median nerve glide exercises plus US and the other group received median nerve glide exercises plus US without LLLT. Outcome measures were hand grip strength (HGS), visual analogue scale (VAS), Boston questionnaire (BQ), and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve.&#x0D; Results: Baseline analysis revealed similarities between the two groups in all parameters. Statistical analysis indicated significant improvement of HGS, VAS, BQ, and CSA of the median nerve in two groups of intervention.&#x0D; Conclusion: In patients with CTS, US and median nerve glide exercises with and without LLLT significantly improved without the superiority of adding LLLT to mentioned treatment.

Effectiveness of High-Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients with Lateral Epicondylitis on the Level of Disability, Pain, Grip Strength and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of High-Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) in managing Lateral Epicondylitis (LE). The electronic databases (Pubmed, Europepmc, NCBI-NIH, Medline, Science direct, and google scholar) were searched. Studies that meet the following criteria are included in the review: 1) experimental studies, 2) participants were diagnosed with LE, 3) at least one of the treatment groups included HILT, and 4) at least one research outcome was on level of disability of elbow, level of perceived pain, handgrip strength, or quality of life. The last search was conducted in May 2021. Six studies (n=321) were included in the review. Overall, HILT significantly reduced pain comparing with the active controls (weighted mean difference: -0.65; 95% CI-0.98 to -0.33; p=0). Also, effect of HILT on improving participants’ quality of life in physical domain was significantly better than that of the active controls. (Standardized mean difference: 0.486; 95% CI=0.066 to 0.906; p=0.023). Though all included studies revealed that HILT had a higher therapeutic effect than the comparators in aspects of grip strength and level of disability, no significant difference was detected. These outcomes show a “weak” strength of evidence in quality assessment. In conclusion, although HILT showed a positive impact on LE, the number of studies on HILT was limited and the risk of selection, performance and detection bias was revealed. Therefore, further well-designed studies are warranted

A Literature Review on High Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

A Literature Review on High Intensity Laser Therapy in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

The effectiveness of laser therapy in patients with diabetic foot

Purpose: to compare the effectiveness of laser therapy and traditional methods for managing diabetic patients with purulent-necrotic lesions in their lower extremities.Material and methods. The article presents a retrospective analysis of outcomes after treatment of 76 patients with diabetes mellitus having purulent-necrotic lesions in their lower extremities. Patients were divided into two groups. The first (main) group consisted of 34 patients in whom traditional treatment was accompanied by intravenous laser blood irradiation and local laser therapy; the second (control) group consisted of 42 patients who received only traditional treatment.Results. Laser therapy contributed to more rapid reduction of wound defect (17.4 %) compared to patients after traditional treatment (11.1 %); it reduced the period of transition to inflammatory-regenerative changes, promoted a smaller number of high amputations of lower limbs from 14 to 6 % as well as shortened the length of hospital stay by 11.2 days.Conclusion. Laser light therapy in patients with diabetic foot accelerates cleansing and reduction of the wound area, allows to reduce or eliminate inflammatory process in shorter time than with traditional treatment.

Effects of Red and Infrared Laser Therapy in Patients with Tinnitus: A Double-Blind, Clinical, Randomized Controlled Study Combining Light with Ultrasound, Drugs and Vacuum Therapy.

tinnitus is a symptom with no specific cause known to date, and there are no associated pharmacogenomics of hearing disorders and no FDA-approved drugs for tinnitus treatment. The effectiveness of drug treatments is not reproducible on idiopathic patients and inexistent in refractory patients. Personalized treatments for these patients are a great clinical need. Our study investigated the outcome of potential alternative and complementary treatment modalities for idiopathic and refractory tinnitus patients. we were the first to evaluate the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) score changes over the course of treatment up to 15 days after complete cessation of treatment for novel transmeatal low-level laser therapy (LLLT) modalities using light alone, as well as LLLT combined with vacuum therapy (VT), ultrasound (US), Ginkgo biloba (GB) and flunarizine dihydrochloride (FD), while also comparing all treatment outcomes with laser puncture (LP), FD alone and GB alone. a positive treatment outcome (superior to a placebo effect) was achieved by using either LP or transmeatal LLLT, whereas short-term antagonistic effects of VT, US, GB and FD when combined with LLLT. For transmeatal LLLT, an improvement in the treatment outcome was observed by increasing the irradiation time from 6 min to 15 min (with 100-mW of applied laser power at 660 nm). Finally, a lasting therapeutic effect higher than the placebo was observed at 15 days after treatment upon combining LLLT with VT, GB or by using FD alone, by using the transmeatal LLLT alone or by using LP. LP and Transmeatal LLLT can be promising alternative treatments for idiopathic and refractory tinnitus patients. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of LLLT in tinnitus patients, as well as the dosimetry and wavelength of transmeatal LLLT.

Efficacies of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and low-level laser therapy in patients with plantar fasciitis

BackgroundVarious conservative treatment methods can be administered in the early stages of plantar fasciitis (PF). The aim of the treatment is to enable the patient to return to the physical activity as soon as possible. AimIn this study it was aimed to compare efficacies of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) and Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on patients with PF. DesignA local prospective cross-sectional study SettingDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic of Sakarya University, Faculty of Medicine PopulationPatients aged 18–70 years, having ongoing heel pain for at least 3 months, and not using oral and/or parenteral corticosteroids in the last 6 months. MethodsA total of 40 patients with PF included in the current study. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Roles and Maudsley Score (RMS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Association Score (AOFAS) and Foot Function Index (FFI) questionnaire were performed for all patients. ESWT and LLLT groups comprised of 22 (55%) and 18 (45%) patients, respectively. ResultsWe found significant improvements in scores based on the VAS, RMS, AOFAS, FFI in patients with PF and it was sustained for 3 months (p = 0.001, for all scores). While decrease in scores based on the VAS and FFI in LLLT group was statistically more significant compared to ESWT group (p = 0.014, p = 0.013), there was statistically less significant decrease in scores on the AOFAS in LLLT group than that of ESWT group (p = 0.032). ConclusionsThe results of this study indicated significant improvements in terms of pain, functional status and daily life activities following the administration of either of the treatments. Furthermore, LLLT was found to be significantly more effective for alleviating pain than ESWT in the treatment of PF.

Vaginale Lasertherapie – Mythen und Fakten

The current guideline "Female Urinary Incontinence" of the working group of scientific medical professional associations (AWMF) comprises arecommendation about the optional use of vaginal laser therapy in patients with mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Since to date there is no corresponding recommendation within the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines, the scientific evidence of the AWMF recommendation is evaluated. On the basis of limited data, both available laser systems (Erbium:YAG and CO2) seem to work equivalently in patients with mild SUI. The problematic comparability of studies with different definitions of incontinence, severity classifications, outcome parameters, and consideration of diverse etiological aspects is addressed. After thorough consideration of the available prognosticator research, aprofile of an ideal laser candidate is developed for proper patient selection. This profile includes younger age, normal body mass index, sufficient estrogenization status, pure stress urinary incontinence due to urethral hypermobility, and urine loss of < 8 g during a1 h pad test.