Role of Low-Level Laser Therapy as an Adjuvant in Functional Rehabilitation of Patients with Joint Stiffness in Post-Burn Contracture.
Post-burn contracture is a known sequelae of burn injuries involving neck, axilla, elbow and hand. It occurs due to
disorganized structure of the collagen in the wound areas. Various treatment modalities such as skin grafting are used to release the scars and to restore the function to the joint involved.
Even though these surgeries aid in anatomical restoration, functional restoration remains an important issue. After these reconstructive surgeries, patient may develop joint stiffness if post-operative physiotherapy is inadequate which can be due to various reasons such as pain, lost to follow-up, etc.
There are many methods which are used as adjuvant in rehabilitation of post-burn contracture patients, one of them and with very few data available from India is low-level laser therapy. In this article we share our experience of using LLLT for functional rehabilitation of a patient with joint stiffness following post-burn contracture. This study was conducted in a burns centre under Department of Plastic Surgery in a Tertiary care institute in South India during the month of November- December 2021.
Informed consent and Departmental Ethical Committee clearance were obtained prior
to study. The subject was a young boy with no known co-morbidities
with stiffness of metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joint of index and middle finger of right hand.
Patient was treated with contracture release with full thickness skin graft. Patient developed stiffness of
metacarpophalangeal join and interphalangeal joint due to splinting following full thickness skin grafting. The patient received LLLT to induce collagenolysis and to increase the movement of the joints.
Radiol Open J. 2022; 6(1): 1-3. doi: 10.17140/ROJ-6-135