Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine
2014, vol. 23, nr 5, September-October, p. 835–842
Publication type: review article
Language: English
The Use of Low-Level Energy Laser Radiation in Basic and Clinical Research
1 Department and Clinic of Internal and Occupational Diseases and Hypertension, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland
Abstract
Laser radiation has specific attributes: monochromaticity, high coherence and polarization. These properties result in the extensive use of lasers in medicine. Laser devices can be assigned into three basic groups by means of their level of energy: high, medium and low energy. All of these types of radiation are used in medicine. However, the most commonly used, in basic science and clinical studies, is low-energy radiation. Molecular effects of low energy laser irradiation on cells are generally described as “fotobiostimulation” and “fotobiomodulation”. These phenomena consequently lead to attempts to exploit this kind of radiation as a treatment method (low-level laser therapyLLLT). Areas in which LLLT is used are: regenerative medicine (for healing wounds and ulcers); aesthetic medicine (to improve appearance of scars); dentistry (to accelerate healing of implants); physiotherapy (to reduce chronic pain syndromes), orthopedics (in bone healing) and cardiology (as a prevention of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention). This paper discusses the medical applications of LLLT which are used in daily clinical practice as well as those used in basic science.
Key words
low energy laser radiation, therapy, medical application, basic science.
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