Effects of low-level laser therapy on wound healing

OBJECTIVE: To gather and clarify the actual effects of low-level laser therapy on wound healing and its most effective ways of application in human and veterinary medicine.METHODS: We searched original articles published in journals between the years 2000 and 2011, in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese languages, belonging to the following databases: Lilacs, Medline, PubMed and Bireme; Tey should contain the methodological description of the experimental design and parameters used.RESULTS: doses ranging from 3 to 6 J/cm2 appear to be more effective and doses 10 above J/cm2 are associated with deleterious effects. The wavelengths ranging from 632.8 to 1000 nm remain as those that provide more satisfactory results in the wound healing process.CONCLUSION: Low-level laser can be safely applied to accelerate the resolution of cutaneous wounds, although this fact is closely related to the election of parameters such as dose, time of exposure and wavelength.

Ablação dos vasos placentários com laser para tratamento da síndrome de transfusão feto-fetal grave: experiência de um centro universitário no Brasil

OBJETIVO: descrever os resultados do tratamento da síndrome de transfusão feto-fetal grave com a ablação vascular placentária a laser em um centro universitário do Brasil. MÉTODOS: estudo observacional retrospectivo que incluiu pacientes tratadas na Universidade Estadual de Campinas entre 2007 e 2009. A ablação vascular placentária foi realizada em casos de transfusão feto-fetal grave (estágios II, III e IV de Quintero) diagnosticados até a 26ª semana de gravidez. As principais variáveis avaliadas foram a idade gestacional no parto, a sobrevida (alta do berçário) de pelo menos um gêmeo e o comprometimento neurológico nos sobreviventes. Regressão logística foi utilizada para investigar a influência do comprimento do colo uterino, da idade gestacional e do estágio da doença (antes da cirurgia) sobre o parto/abortamento e o óbito fetal após a intervenção, sobre o parto pré-termo extremo e a sobrevida. RESULTADOS: em toda a amostra, pelo menos uma criança sobreviveu em 63,3% dos casos (19/30). Entre as gestantes que não tiveram parto/abortamento após à cirurgia, a sobrevida de pelo menos um gêmeo foi 82,6% (19/23). Nesse subgrupo (n=23), a idade gestacional média no parto foi 31,9 semanas e o comprometimento neurológico ocorreu em um neonato (1/31; 3,2%). O comprimento do colo uterino influenciou na ocorrência de parto/abortamento após a cirurgia (valor de p=0,008). Entre sete pacientes (7/30; 23,3%) que apresentaram essa complicação, cinco (5/7; 71,4%) tinham medidas do colo uterino menores do que 15 mm. Entre as 23 gestantes que não tiveram parto/abortamento após a cirurgia, os estágios mais avançados da doença (III e IV) aumentaram o risco de parto antes de 32 semanas (valor de p=0,025) e diminuíram a chance de sobrevida de ambas as crianças (valor de p=0,026). CONCLUSÕES: os resultados são semelhantes aos descritos na literatura. Na presente amostra, os principais fatores associados a piores resultados foram o colo uterino curto (menor do que 15 mm) e os estágios mais avançados da doença (III e IV) no momento em que o tratamento foi realizado.

Bartholin's gland cysts: management with carbon-dioxide laser vaporization

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness, recurrence rate, and complications of carbon-dioxide laser vaporization in the treatment of Bartholin's gland cysts. METHODS: A retrospective study including 127 patients with symptomatic Bartholin' gland cysts submitted to carbon-dioxide laser vaporization at our institution from January 2005 to June 2011. Patients with Bartholin's gland abscesses and those suspected of having neoplasia were excluded. All procedures were performed in an outpatient setting under local anaesthesia. Clinical records were reviewed for demographic characteristics, anatomic parameters, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and follow-up data. Data were stored and analyzed in Microsoft Excel® 2007 software. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and its results were expressed as frequency (percentage) or mean±standard deviation. Complication, recurrence, and cure rates were calculated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 37.3±9.5 years-old (range from 18 to 61 years-old). Seventy percent (n=85) of them were multiparous. The most common symptom was pain and 47.2% (n=60) of patients had a history of previous medical and/or surgical treatment for Bartholin's gland abscesses. Mean cyst size was 2.7±0.9 cm. There were three (2.4%) cases of minor intraoperative bleeding. Overall, there were 17 (13.4%) recurrences within a mean of 14.6 months (range from 1 to 56 months): ten Bartholin's gland abscesses and seven recurrent cysts requiring reintervention. The cure rate after single laser treatment was 86.6%. Among the five patients with recurrent disease that had a second laser procedure, the cure rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: At this institution, carbon-dioxide laser vaporization seems to be a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of Bartholin's gland cysts.