Re: Class III laser for infections

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I had always read/heard that laser was contraindicated in areas of active infection because it stimulates increased blood flow which actually could make infection worse. There may be new information out there that says differently, but my general philosophy has been to avoid whenever possible.

Class III laser for infections

Has anybody used their Class III laser for skin infection purposes??? If so how long did it take and how effective?? I have a client with a cat that is struggling with what has been diagnosed as a Nocardia infection in the skin of the forearm. It is restricted to this area and has not progressed but the cat has lots of scarring and occasionally will break with pinpoint draining areas. The owner is trying to avoid very expensive ABX with possible significant side effects.Tracey DVM, CCRT

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Read article published in Journal of Equine Veterinary Science October 2005 re: Recalcitrant Wound in a horse. Large infected open wound of 30 days. Used only Alpha-Stim and resolved in 2 weeks. I know it seems like laser is everything, but I have worked with both (starting in 1998) and this wave form can do what laser cannot. Worth a look-see. Ava Frick, DVM From: VetRehab [mailto:VetRehab ] On Behalf Of a GrangeSent: Monday, July 02, 2012 3:06 PMTo: VetRehab Subject: Re: Class III laser for infections I had always read/heard that laser was contraindicated in areas of active infection because it stimulates increased blood flow which actually could make infection worse. There may be new information out there that says differently, but my general philosophy has been to avoid whenever possible. Class III laser for infections Has anybody used their Class III laser for skin infection purposes??? If so how long did it take and how effective?? I have a client with a cat that is struggling with what has been diagnosed as a Nocardia infection in the skin of the forearm. It is restricted to this area and has not progressed but the cat has lots of scarring and occasionally will break with pinpoint draining areas. The owner is trying to avoid very expensive ABX with possible significant side effects.Tracey DVM, CCRT

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Class 3 or Class 4 …does not matter the ability of laser light in the therapeutic wavelengths to directly stimulate the production of immunoglobulins and lymphocytes not to mention the improved metabolic improvement in diseased tissue, including improved circulation are all well documented in literature for 20-30 years…and whether this tissue is infected or not it will benefit from laser therapy. If the tissue is compromised = inflamed, swollen, infected. Laser it. weiner, DVMReply-To: " VetRehab " <VetRehab >Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2012 17:39:33 -0400To: " VetRehab " <VetRehab >Subject: RE: Class III laser for infections

Read article published in Journal of Equine Veterinary Science October 2005 re: Recalcitrant Wound in a horse. Large infected open wound of 30 days. Used only Alpha-Stim and resolved in 2 weeks. I know it seems like laser is everything, but I have worked with both (starting in 1998) and this wave form can do what laser cannot. Worth a look-see. Ava Frick, DVM From: VetRehab [mailto:VetRehab ] On Behalf Of a GrangeSent: Monday, July 02, 2012 3:06 PMTo: VetRehab Subject: Re: Class III laser for infections I had always read/heard that laser was contraindicated in areas of active infection because it stimulates increased blood flow which actually could make infection worse. There may be new information out there that says differently, but my general philosophy has been to avoid whenever possible. Class III laser for infections Has anybody used their Class III laser for skin infection purposes??? If so how long did it take and how effective?? I have a client with a cat that is struggling with what has been diagnosed as a Nocardia infection in the skin of the forearm. It is restricted to this area and has not progressed but the cat has lots of scarring and occasionally will break with pinpoint draining areas. The owner is trying to avoid very expensive ABX with possible significant side effects.Tracey DVM, CCRT

[Guest guest]

Hey Tracey,You should be fine to use it. Laser simulate macrophage and lymphocyte production. I pulled up a few abstracts from a quick search.Laurie Edge-Lasers Med Sci. 2007 Sep;22(3):143-57. Epub 2007 Jan 12.Er:YAG laser therapy for peri-implant infection: a histological study.Takasaki AA, Aoki A, Mizutani K, Kikuchi S, Oda S, Ishikawa I.SourceSection of Periodontology, Department of Hard Tissue Engineering, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan. arisperi@...AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Er:YAG laser on degranulation and implant surface debridement in peri-implantinfection. The peri-implant infection was experimentally induced in dogs, and the treatment was performed using an Er:YAG laser or a plastic curet. Animals were sacrificed after 24 weeks, and undecalcified histological sections were prepared and analyzed. Degranulation and implant surface debridement were obtained effectively and safely by Er:YAG laser. Histologically, a favorable formation of new bone was observed on the laser-treated implant surface, and the laser group showed a tendency to produce greater bone-to-implant contact than the curet group. These results indicate that the Er:YAG laser therapy has promise in the treatment of peri-implantitis.------------------------Am J Otolaryngol. 2012 Apr 12. [Epub ahead of print]Laser-assisted nasal decolonization of Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.Krespi YP, Kizhner V.SourceLennox Hill Hospital, New York, NY, USA.AbstractOBJECTIVES:Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) contribute to 25% of nosocomial infections, increasing complications, health care cost, and growing antibiotic resistance. Nasal decolonization (ND) can reduce the staphylococcal infection rate. A new method of laser therapy (LT) MRSA ND was tested.STUDY DESIGN:This is a prospective, nonrandomized study.METHODS:Following institutional review board approvals, 25 patients colonized with MSSA/MRSA were allocated to 4 treatment arms; low-power, dual-wavelength 870-/930-nm laser alone (GR1); low-power, dual-wavelength laser followed by erythromycin (E-mycin) cream (GR2); low-power, dual-wavelength laser followed by peroxide irrigation (GR3); and high-power 940-nm laser alone (GR4). Quantitative cultures were obtained before and after in all arms. Laser therapy was performed via a laser fiber diffuser, delivering 200 to 600 J/cm² to each naris circumferentially. Patient's distribution was 3 in GR1, 14 in GR2, 4 in GR3, and 4 in GR4 (last 10 recruited to GR4).RESULTS:Nasal decolonization for GR1, GR2, GR3, and GR4 was 1 of 3, 13 of 14, 2 of 4, and 4 of 4, respectively. Because LT + E-mycin cleared all first 3 patients of MRSA and MSSA, all remaining patients were treated with LT + Er with over 90% of patients clearing. No adverse events or discomfort were reported.CONCLUSIONS:First human study using LT and topical E-mycin in ND is presented. Laser therapy can eradicate MRSA and potentially resensitization of bacteria to the antimicrobial effect of erythromycin. Although decolonization was maintained at 4 weeks posttreatment, further studies can determine the LT long-term effect.------------------------Photomed Laser Surg. 2011 Jun;29(6):405-12. Epub 2011 Jan 10.The use of 808-nm light therapy to treat experimental chronic osteomyelitis induced in rats by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.Kaya GŞ, Kaya M, Gürsan N, Kireççi E, Güngörmüş M, Balta H.SourceDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. gokselsimsek@...AbstractBACKGROUND DATA:In vivo and in vitro studies have reported that laser energy in differing wavelengths and irradiation regimes has a potential bactericidal effect on Staphylococcus aureus.OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a light wavelength of 808  nm in varying doses has an effect on chronic osteomyelitis induced experimentally in the rat tibia.METHODS:Intramedullary cavities were surgically created in the left tibias of 39 adult Wistar albino rats. Five randomly selected subjects were injected with a sterile saline solution, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was used to induce osteomyelitis in the remaining rats. After 3 weeks, rats with evidence of osteomyelitis were treated with debridement alone (n = 7), with debridement plus laserirradiation to induce photoeradication (n = 21), or were not treated at all [negative control, (n = 6)]. Active irradiation was performed using an 808  nm, 100  mW continuous-wave diode laser with a beam spot size of 0.7854  cm(2) (irradiance = 127.3  mW/cm(2)). Lasertreatment commenced immediately after debridement surgery and was applied daily for 5 consecutive days. Irradiation lasted 60  secs (6  J at 7.64  J/cm(2): n = 7), 120  secs (12  J at 15.29  J/cm(2): n = 7), or 180  secs (18  J at 22.93  J/cm(2): n = 7). Rats in the sham and negative control groups were killed 21 days post-induction surgery, and those in the treatment groups were killed after 42 days. Following killing, tibias were removed and analyzed histopathologically, radiographically, and microbiologically.RESULTS:Histopathological analysis showed that infection levels had decreased by 37%, 67%, 81%, and 93% in the groups treated by debridement or by debridement plus 7.64, 15.29, and 22.93  J/cm(2) light therapy, respectively, compared to the negative control group. Osteomyelitis-induced rats had the highest bacteria count (5 × 10(5)). Bacterial counts fell to 1.6 × 10(4), 4.3 × 10(2), 5.5 × 10(1), and 3.3 × 10(0) in groups treated by debridement or by debridement plus 7.64, 15.29, and 22.93  J/cm(2) light therapy, respectively, compared to the negative control group.CONCLUSIONS:Within the limitations of this study, laser phototherapy with the appropriate irradiation parameters appears to be a promising adjunct and/or alternative technique to pharmacological agents in the treatment of osteomyelitis. The 808  nm 100  mW (127.3  mW/cm(2)) laser device used in this study achieved a maximum effect with an irradiation time of 180  secs, delivering 18  J at an energy density of 22.93  J/cm(2).

Laurie Edge-, BScPT, MAnimSt (Animal Physio), CAFCI, CCRTCEO,Four Leg Rehab Inc.Canine Rehab Educational Resourceswww.fourleg.comCheck it out!!

Class 3 or Class 4 …does not matter the ability of laser light in the therapeutic wavelengths to directly stimulate the production of immunoglobulins and lymphocytes not to mention the improved metabolic improvement in diseased tissue, including improved circulation are all well documented in literature for 20-30 years…and whether this tissue is infected or not it will benefit from laser therapy. If the tissue is compromised = inflamed, swollen, infected. Laser it. weiner, DVMReply-To: "VetRehab " <VetRehab >Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2012 17:39:33 -0400To: "VetRehab " <VetRehab >Subject: RE: Class III laser for infections

Read article published in Journal of Equine Veterinary Science October 2005 re: Recalcitrant Wound in a horse. Large infected open wound of 30 days. Used only Alpha-Stim and resolved in 2 weeks. I know it seems like laser is everything, but I have worked with both (starting in 1998) and this wave form can do what laser cannot. Worth a look-see. Ava Frick, DVM From: VetRehab [mailto:VetRehab ] On Behalf Of a GrangeSent: Monday, July 02, 2012 3:06 PMTo: VetRehab Subject: Re: Class III laser for infections I had always read/heard that laser was contraindicated in areas of active infection because it stimulates increased blood flow which actually could make infection worse. There may be new information out there that says differently, but my general philosophy has been to avoid whenever possible. Class III laser for infections Has anybody used their Class III laser for skin infection purposes??? If so how long did it take and how effective?? I have a client with a cat that is struggling with what has been diagnosed as a Nocardia infection in the skin of the forearm. It is restricted to this area and has not progressed but the cat has lots of scarring and occasionally will break with pinpoint draining areas. The owner is trying to avoid very expensive ABX with possible significant side effects.Tracey DVM, CCRT