Enhancement of Episiotomy Healing Using (790-805) nm Diode Laser as a Supplementary Treatment

Abstract

To show the impact of 790-805 nm diode laser irradiations on wound healing as a supplementary treatment in women underwent episiotomies, and to assess the laser parameters that were used .Material and methods: Eighteen female patients were included in this study; all of them underwent mediolateral episiotomy. Ten patients received laser therapy- diode laser (K Laser) (790-805) nm in CW mode of operation (and eight patients were the control group. Spot size of 8mm, time for exposure for each spot was 30 seconds. The power used was 0.6 W .The power density for each spot of treatment was 1.19 W/cm2 per session (non contact mode of application of laser therapy).The group studied received 2 sessions of laser radiation, day 4, and day 8 after labour and the women of both groups were followed on day 4,8,14 and 28 post delivery in terms of pain, tenderness, redness, oedema, and discharge. After the 1stexposurethe patients had been assessed on day 8 of delivery; and their assessment showed that pain was present in 20% of the patients, tenderness in 30%, redness and oedema in 20% and 10% with discharge; which was less than the control group that had pain in 62.5% tenderness in 50%, redness and oedema in 50%, and discharge in 25%. After the 2nd exposure (patients were assessed on day 14 post-delivery) pain, tenderness and redness present only in 10%, while in the control group: pain, tenderness, oedema and discharge in 25%, and redness in 37%. Biostimulation is a method that can be used to enhance wound healing if used with appropriate parameters. Diode laser (790-805) nm can be used for enhancing episiotomy healing as a supplementary therapy when used in the CW mode with 0.6 w power and 1.19 w/cm2 power density for 30 seconds for each spot.