Lasers in Medical Science最新文献

The 1927 nm Thulium laser has emerged as a promising tool for the treatment of dermatological conditions. This systematic review aimed to analyze the efficacy and applicability of this technology. A total of 17 studies were included, involving 448 participants with various dermatological disorders. The results indicated that the 1927 nm laser promoted improvements in skin texture, pigmentation reduction, and scar appearance, with an acceptable of safety profile. On average, treatment protocols included three sessions at monthly intervals and a follow-up of 120 days. Adverse events were mild and transient, although relapses were observed in cases of melasma. There was considerable variability in treatment parameters across studies, and most of them presented a moderate to high risk of bias. Therefore, future research is needed to standardize clinical protocols and confirm long-term effects. Nevertheless, the 1927 nm laser stands out as a valuable dermatological therapeutic resource with the potential to enhance clinical outcomes.

Purpose: Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is a major concern for women experiencing hair thinning. While minoxidil 5% (MIN) is a medically approved treatment and photobiomodulation therapy (PBMt) has shown effectiveness in stimulating hair growth, treatments typically last 24 weeks. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of combining PBMt with topical MIN for treating FPHL within a shorter 12.5-week timeframe, focusing on hair growth phases.

Methods: Nine women aged 30 to 50 years with FPHL participated. They applied MIN twice daily to the scalp throughout the treatment period. In the clinic, hair was sectioned, and one side of the scalp was randomly assigned to receive 25 sessions of red laser (100 mW, 4 J/point), delivered at 15 evenly spaced points. Treatments were administered twice a week, while the opposite side received sham irradiation. Standardized photographs, a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire, and phototrichograms were used to evaluate the outcomes.

Results: Both the MIN and PBMt + MIN groups showed significant improvements in QoL scores and hair density. Additionally, both groups experienced increased hair density and a higher percentage of hairs in the anagen phase. Remarkably, the PBMt + MIN group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in telogen-phase hairs.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that PBMt may enhance MIN therapy for FPHL, particularly in reducing telogen-phase hair counts within a shorter treatment period.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

The study had the main purpose of comparing the desensitizing effect of Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) and a 15% calcium sodium phosphosilicate paste (CSP-NovaMin) for the treatment of cervical dentin hypersensitivity (CDH) throughout the 6-month follow-up period (TRN #2291636, Sep/2017). In total, 67 patients were selected after a baseline evaluation with a visual analog scale, including middling and severe pain levels, above 4 cm at the scale. Patients were randomly allocated to one of the groups: Nd:YAG laser (100 mJ, 1W, 10 Hz, 83.3 J/cm²) or CSP prophy paste (60-s prophylaxis, rubber cup at low speed). Patients were treated in a single session and pain was assessed immediately, 3 months and 6 months after treatments. When more than one tooth presented CDH, a mean score per patient was considered. Patients were blind to the treatments and pain values, pain evaluator was blind to the treatments and the operator was blind to pain data. Pain relief data and absolute values were analyzed. There was no difference in pain relief between treatments and experimental time-intervals (p > 0.05). Absolute values for pain showed significant reduction in pain immediately after treatments for both groups (p < 0.05). After 6 months, pain level for Nd:YAG laser group continued to decrease (p < 0.05) while for CSP group this did not change (p > 0.05). For both groups, pain was lower than at baseline after 6 months. Both treatments were efficient in reducing CDH over 6 months and Nd:YAG laser group showed the lowest pain levels. Nd:YAG laser and CSP prophy paste should be considered efficient treatments for CDH with positive immediate and long-term effects.

To evaluate whether Er: YAG surgery and Nd: YAG-based low-level laser therapy (LLLT), combined with medical collagen, improve early postoperative outcomes after extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Adults undergoing surgical removal of mesioangular or horizontal impacted mandibular third molars were randomized equally (1:1:1:1) to blank control (BCG), collagen only (COL), lasers only (LAS), or collagen plus lasers (COL + LAS). Primary endpoints were pain (VAS; spontaneous and swallowing; POD1/3/7), swelling (POD1/3/7), trismus (POD1/3/7), and early mucosal healing (POD3/7). Secondary endpoints were bleeding (30 min post-extraction only), cutaneous induration/ecchymosis (POD7), alveolar osteitis (POD3/7), and local cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α; POD3/7). In 120 patients, COL + LAS was superior: less pain, swelling, and trismus at POD1/3 and higher early mucosal-healing rates at POD3/7 than BCG, COL, or LAS; by POD7, between-group differences in pain, swelling, and trismus were minimal. All active arms reduced 30-min bleeding versus BCG. At POD7, cutaneous induration was lowest with COL + LAS (ecchymosis not significant). Cytokines declined overall; IL-1β and TNF-α were lowest with COL + LAS at POD3/7, whereas IL-6 decreased similarly across active arms. Er: YAG surgery plus Nd: YAG-based LLLT with medical collagen improved short-term recovery after impacted mandibular third-molar surgery.

This self-controlled prospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 450 nm blue laser-mediated aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-BL-PDT) in 28 patients with plaque psoriasis. Participants received four treatment sessions at two-week intervals. At two weeks post-treatment, 67.9% (19/28) achieved Physician Global Assessment (PGA) scores of 0 or 1 (clear or almost clear). Treatment response correlated significantly with baseline disease severity, with higher efficacy observed in patients with body surface area (BSA) ≤ 5% (84.2%) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) ≤ 5 (86.7%) (both p < 0.05). Treatment-associated pain was well-tolerated and decreased significantly after the first session. The one-year recurrence rate among responders was 47.4% (9/19). These preliminary results suggest ALA-BL-PDT may be effective and well-tolerated treatment for mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis, though larger randomized controlled trials are needed for validation.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of diode laser parameters on the thermal response and surface morphology of RBM (Resorbable Blast Media), SLA (Sandblasted, Large-grit, Acid-etched), and additively manufactured Ti6Al4V titanium surfaces, and to determine whether surface type influences heat distribution and integrity, which is clinically relevant in peri-implantitis treatment. A total of 144 titanium discs with three different surface treatments (RBM, SLA, and additively manufactured Ti6Al4V as the control group) were irradiated with a 940 nm diode laser at varying power levels (1 W, 2 W, 3 W), durations (30 s, 60 s), and modes (continuous, pulsed). Surface temperatures were recorded using thermal imaging. Morphological and elemental changes were evaluated via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. A four-way Aligned Rank Transform Analysis of Variance (ART ANOVA) was used to analyze the effects of variables. Temperature increases were significantly influenced by all tested variables (p < 0.001). The RBM group exhibited the highest peak temperature (185 °C at 3 W pulsed mode, 60 s), while SLA surfaces consistently showed the lowest (39.9 °C at 1 W continius mode, 30 s). Pulsed mode and longer exposure times produced higher temperatures, except at 1 W, which resulted in the lowest temperature rise regardless of surface treatment. SEM images revealed mild surface alterations at higher power, with RBM exhibiting localized depressions and SLA displaying minor fragmentation of surface textures. EDS analysis indicated no major changes in elemental composition post-irradiation. The study highlights that different titanium surface types respond distinctly to diode laser irradiation, with RBM surfaces being more thermally reactive. Uniform laser protocols may not be appropriate for all implant surfaces. Careful consideration of power, duration, and surface characteristics is essential to avoid potential thermal damage during peri-implantitis treatment.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser application in the treatment of periodontal intra-bony defects. Two independent reviewers conducted searches for articles published in English. The primary objective was to investigate whether clinical parameters improved in periodontal regeneration therapy with and without low-level laser therapy (LLLT). The primary outcome was probing depth (PD), while the secondary outcome measures were clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival recession (GR), and bone defect depth. After screening and eligibility assessment, eight studies were included in the analysis. For the primary outcome measure (PD), after sensitivity analysis, the reduction in PD from baseline to 3 months was greater in the laser group than in the non-laser group (P = 0.02). For the secondary outcome measure (CAL), after sensitivity analysis, the increase in CAL from baseline to 3 months was greater in the laser group (P < 0.001). Although laser therapy may be beneficial for early wound healing, the current evidence does not support its routine use in periodontal regenerative surgery. Further high-quality studies are warranted to evaluate its clinical efficacy.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical utility of endoscopic laser speckle contrast imaging (eLSCI) for intraoperative assessment of parathyroid gland (PTG) perfusion and functional preservation.

Methods: Fifteen patients undergoing unilateral/bilateral thyroidectomy at The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University (November 2024 to April 2025) were prospectively enrolled. PTG perfusion was quantified using eLSCI by recording blood flow index (BFI) before and after thyroid resection. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium levels were measured preoperatively, at 15-min post-resection, and 24-h postoperatively. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the linear association between perfusion and functional parameters, while Spearman's rank correlation test was concurrently performed to verify the robustness.

Results: A significant correlation existed between the BFI change ratio and PTH change ratio at 15-min post-resection (r = 0.672, p = 0.006) and 24-h postoperatively (r = 0.671, p = 0.006). No significant correlation was observed between BFI change ratio and serum calcium change ratio at either timepoint (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The eLSCI system enables real-time quantitative assessment of intraoperative parathyroid perfusion and demonstrates feasibility in predicting postoperative parathyroid function, holding significant potential for clinical application.

Gingival pigmentation is a common cosmetic concern that can negatively impact a patient's smile aesthetics. Laser-assisted depigmentation has emerged as a reliable and effective treatment modality. The study aimed to compare the efficacy, comfortability of the patient, and the post-operative outcomes among patients who underwent either an ablative or a non-ablative diode 450 nm laser for gingival depigmentation. A split-mouth, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 20 subjects exhibiting physiological pigmentation scores of 2 or more, as assessed by the Dummett index. A diode laser emitting 450 nm wavelength was employed. One side of each subject's mouth was randomly assigned to receive ablative laser treatment, while the contralateral side received non-ablative treatment. Primary outcome measures included changes in Oral Pigmentation Index and Melanin Pigmentation Index scores at baseline and at 1, 6, and 12 months' post-treatment. Patient perception of pain and discomfort was assessed using a modified McGill Pain Questionnaire. Both ablative and non-ablative techniques demonstrated significant reductions in OPI and MPI scores at all follow-up time points. Immediate and total depigmentation was achieved using ablative techniques, which showed fewer rates of re-pigmentation but higher intraoperative discomfort. In contrast, non-ablative techniques result in less pain but required more sessions to obtain optimal results. The choice of technique should be individualized based on patient preferences and clinician expertise. Non-ablative treatment may be preferred for patients seeking minimal discomfort and rapid healing, while ablative treatment may be suitable for patients who prioritize complete pigment removal in one session.