Using low level laser therapy to reduce early postoperative airway obstruction following modified Hogan's flap

Abstract

Introduction and objective: The most common postoperative complications of velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery are postoperative bleeding and airway obstruction or obstructive sleep apnoea. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of low level laser therapy (LLLT) during the first postoperative days in children undergoing superiorly based pharyngeal flap (SBF) surgery.

Materials and methods: A randomized double blind clinical study on 30 children divided on two groups 15 patients each, who underwent SBF. LLLT was used in a group and the other was a control group. The study was conducted in academic tertiary care medical centres between 2013 and 2015. The degree of edema, oxygen saturation, occurrence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and steroid administration were recorded.

Results: The mean of the average oxygen saturation was significantly less in the control group in the 1st and 2nd day as compared to the laser group. The need for oxygen and the incidence of OSA in the first 3 days were significantly higher in the control group as compared to the laser group. The degree of edema showed no significant difference in the first day but was significantly higher in the control group in the 2nd and 3rd days. Hence, the need of steroids was significantly higher in the control group in the first 3 days.

Conclusions: Preliminary results showed that low level laser therapy is effective in reducing the incidence of early postoperative airway obstruction after SBF operations.

Keywords: Apnea obstructiva del sueño; Biostimulation laser; Low level laser therapy; Láser bioestimulación; Obstructive sleep apnoea; Superiores faríngea Flap; Superiorly based (pharyngeal) flap; Terapia láser de bajo nivel.