Effect of Low Power Laser Irradiation on Impaired Wound Healing of Different Aetiology: A Case Report

Abstract

Impaired wound healing is a commonly seen problem not only in elderly and immune-deficient patients but also in young individuals, the aetiology of it being wide-ranging (e.g. diabetes, vascular insufficiency, auto-immune processes, burns). Chronic wounds often are accompanied by both physical and mental pain for the patient and also mean high costs for the social system. In this case report the authors give an overview of the most commonly seen types of impaired wound healing and of their successful treatment using low power laser irradiation. Treatment in all cases shown was set in an ambulant manner allowing higher quality of life to the patient and reduction of costs. The lasers used, were HeNe-devices, with power output from 10mW to 30 mW. The applied IEDs ranged from 1 J/cm² to 6 J/cm². Except a few patients needing antibiotics at the beginning, low power laser irradiation was used as a monotherapy. Wounds were covered by sterile and dry dressings without any occlusion or other topic therapy. Despite the different aetiologies underlying the impairment of wound healing, always the same pattern of improvement was detectable: Initially a demarcation of vital and necrotic tissue accompanied by a short lasting increase of inflammatory-reaction occured, being followed by a spontanous drop-off of the necrosis showing rich degranulation-tissue underneath, leading to a subsequent decrease of wound area and closure of the skin defect with minimal scarring, a fact being of high importance for further rehabilitation. The progress of wound healing was documented photographically and in most cases, TR-thermography was used in order in evaluate the effect of the LLL7 on the microvascularization in the affacted area, showing an average increase in temperature of 0.9°C. In a high number of cases where impaired wound healing was due to vascular disorders (Thrombangiitis obliterans, diabtetic gangrene) amputation or re-amputation of limbs could be avoided.

Summarizing their experience with low power laser irradiation over the last 13 years, the authors suggest that LLLT provides a highly effective, non-invasive therapeutic modalilty for the treatment of impaired wound-healing of different aetiology.