The efficacy of laser application in the treatment and healing of chronic ulcers

ABSTRACT Introduction: The term Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) refers to a concept originated by Einstein in 1917 on the physical principles of stimulated light emission while the first ruby laser was built in 1967. It is widely used in therapeutic and diagnostic fields such as surgery, dentistry, aesthetics, etc. Due to its photostimulation it favours the contraction of chronic ulcers providing analgesic and biostimulant effects faster and safer than more conservative treatment methods. Purpose: Investigating the effectiveness of therapeutic use of laser in the healing process of chronic ulcers Methodology: A systematic review was performed in the online databases Pub Med and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria were primary studies of patients of any age with chronic ulcers, published in the English language, in the period 2015-2021. Results: The review yielded 23 articles that met the inclusion criteria. From the studies it follows the positive effect of laser therapy in the management and treatment of chronic and non-healing ulcers, such as DFUs and VLUs. It appears to be effective due to the faster healing process, cleaning and reducing the surface area of wounds and limiting pain and infections. Conclusions: Application of low-level laser therapy appears to have significant advantages over conventional therapy or other techniques.

Keywords: Laser Therapy, Wound Healing, Ulcers