N. Kazemikhoo
Background Data: Photobiomodulation (PBM) have been used in medicine for more than 40 years especially for enhancing wound healing. Ulcers in diabetic patients are more difficult to heal, due to reduced microcirculation and other disorders that affect wound healing.
Materials and methods: 30 type 2 diabetic patients, with grade 2 and 3 diabetic foot ulcers were treated with PBM. The mean duration of diabetes was 14.3 years and ulcers were present since average 3.4 months ago. Sessions were every other day for 10–15 sessions and then continuing the course two times a week until complete healing or reduced grading to 1.
We used PBM through local contact irradiation of ulcer bed with red light (660 nm; power: 25 mW; 1.5 J/cm2, Azor, Moscow, Russia) and ulcer margins with infrared laser (980 nm; power: 200 mW; 6 J/cm2, Azor, Moscow, Russia) along with intravenous laser irradiation with red light laser (650 nm; power: 1.5 mW) for 15 to 20 minutes, in addition to laser acupuncture with infrared laser (1 J/ cm2) for LI-11, LI-4 SP-6, Pe-6, ST-36 and GB-34 points.
Results: Mean wound’s area before treatment was
43.5 cm2 (range: 0.09–62.5), after about 18 sessions (range:
8–46) of therapy it was 0.3 cm2 (range: 0- 1.7), p < 0.001. There was no relapse or other problem with ulcers during
3 months of follow-up. With this treatment regimen, there
were no side-effects reported by the patients.
Conclusion: PBM could be a safe and effective method for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.