Indian Journal of Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy-An International Journal

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

A Comparative Study on Effectiveness of Ultrasound Therapy and Low Level Laser Therapy in the Management of Second Stage Pressure Sores


Affiliations
1 KLEU Institute of Physiotherapy Belgaum, India
2 Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy, India
3 Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy, Mangalore, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Objective

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Ultrasound and Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on second stage pressure sores so as to be able to deliver better therapy for pressure sore patients on wound healing.

Methods

Forty subjects were taken for the study along with the routine medical management. 20 subjects receive the pulsed ultrasound therapy three times a week for four weeks with frequency of 3 MHz, and intensity of 0.5W/cm2 to 0.8 W/cm2, for five min with direct technique using hydrogel sheet. Another 20 subjects received the LLLT. The laser emission device used was Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) (904 nm) laser. It was made of a semiconductor infrared radiation source. The non contact method of application was used with 0.5 to 4.0 J/cm2 for 2 min for three times a week for 4 weeks. The wounds were traced before starting the treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment, on transparent paper and wound area was calculated with digitizer (AutoCAD software).

Results

The results showed a significant (p = 0.001) decrease in pressure sore surface area in both ultrasound and laser group. When both the groups were compared, the laser therapy is found to be more beneficial than the ultrasound therapy (p=0.046).

Conclusion

Both ultrasound and laser can be used in the management of pressure sores. However in the present study it is seen that LLLT is more beneficial than the ultrasound therapy in the management of pressure sores.


Keywords

Ultrasound Therapy, Low Level Laser Therapy, Pressure Sores, Wound Healing, Physical Therapy
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • T. Mcdiarmid, P N Burns, G T Lewith, D Machin. Ultrasound and the treatment of pressure sores. Physiotherapy Feb 1985; Vol 71(2): pp. 66-70.

  • Huseyin Demir, Solmaz Yaray, Mehmet Kirnap, Kadir Yaray. Comparison of the effects of laser and ultrasound treatment on experimental wound healing in rats. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. September/ October 2004. Vol 41. Number 5, pp 721-728.

  • C.R.W. Edwards, I.A.D. Bouchier, C. Haslett, E.R. Chilvers. Davidson’s Principles and Practice of medicine. 17th ed. Edinburg London Churchill Livingstone. 1996.

  • Sylvia Fernandez. Physiotherapy prevention and treatment of pressure sores. Physiotherapy Sep 1987; Vol 73(9): pp. 450-454.

  • Glenn Irion. Comprehensive Wound Management. United States of America: SLACK Incorporated. 2001

  • Prem P.Gogia. Clinical wound management. United states of America; Edition 1 Slack incorporated 1995.

  • Mary Dyson, J.B. Pond. The effect of Pulsed Ultrasound on tissue Regeneration. Physiotherapy 56 (4): 136-142.

  • Barbara J, Behrens Susan L, Michloritz. Physical agents Theory and Practice for the Physical Therapist assistant: United States of America; FA Davis Company Philadelphia; 1996.

  • Alain-Yvan Belanger. Efficiency-Based Guide to Therapeutic Physical Agents. United States of America: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2001.

  • FlemmingK, Cullum N. Therapeutic ultrasound for venous leg ulcers (Cochrane Review) In: The Cochrane Library, issue 1, 2004 Chichester, UK: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

  • John Low and Ann Reed. Electrotherapy Explained. Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. Printed and bound in India by Replica Press Pvt Ltd Delhi. Butter worth Heinemann 2000.

  • Sheila Kitchen and Sarah Bazen, Clayton’s Electrotherapy. 10E London, W. B, Sunders Company Ltd 1996.

  • Robert L Ashford, Kathleen M Lagan, David G. Baxter. The effectiveness of combined phototherapy/ low intensity laser therapy is effective on neuropathic foot ulcer. British journal of therapy and rehabilitation 1995 April; 2(4): 195-198.

  • www.thorlaser.com

  • Richard W Bohannon and Barbara A, Pfaller. Documentation of wound surface area from tracings of wound perimeters. Physical therapy, 1983 Oct; 63: 1622 – 1624. 16. Cheryl Majeske. Reliability of wound surface area measurement. Physical Therapy 1992 Nov/Feb; 72: 138- 141.

  • Lagan KM, Dusoir AE, McDonough SM, Baxter GD. Wound measurement; the comparative reliability of direct versus photographic tracings analyzed by Planimetry versus digitizing techniques. Arch Phy Med Rehabil 2000; 81: 1110-6.

  • Ethne L Nussbaum, Irene Biemann Betsy Mustard. Comparison of ultrasound/ultraviolet –C and laser for treatment of pressure ulcers in patients with spinal cord injury. Physical Therapy/Volume 74, number 9 September 1994. pp.812-822

  • Aymann Nassif Pereira, Carlos de paula Eduardo, Edmir Matson, Marcia Martins Marques. Effect of low power laser radiation on cell growth and procollagen synthesis of cultured fibroblast. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2002; 31: 263-267.

  • Schubert V. Effect of phototherapy on pressure ulcers healing in elderly patients after a falling trauma. A prospective randomized, controlled study. Photodermatol photoimmunol Photomed. 2001 Feb; 17(1): 32-8.


Abstract Views: 1186

PDF Views: 0




  • A Comparative Study on Effectiveness of Ultrasound Therapy and Low Level Laser Therapy in the Management of Second Stage Pressure Sores

Abstract Views: 1186  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Anil Rachappa Muragod
KLEU Institute of Physiotherapy Belgaum, India
P. Sreekumaran
Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy, India
K. U. Danesh
Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy, Mangalore, India

Abstract


Objective

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Ultrasound and Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) on second stage pressure sores so as to be able to deliver better therapy for pressure sore patients on wound healing.

Methods

Forty subjects were taken for the study along with the routine medical management. 20 subjects receive the pulsed ultrasound therapy three times a week for four weeks with frequency of 3 MHz, and intensity of 0.5W/cm2 to 0.8 W/cm2, for five min with direct technique using hydrogel sheet. Another 20 subjects received the LLLT. The laser emission device used was Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) (904 nm) laser. It was made of a semiconductor infrared radiation source. The non contact method of application was used with 0.5 to 4.0 J/cm2 for 2 min for three times a week for 4 weeks. The wounds were traced before starting the treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment, on transparent paper and wound area was calculated with digitizer (AutoCAD software).

Results

The results showed a significant (p = 0.001) decrease in pressure sore surface area in both ultrasound and laser group. When both the groups were compared, the laser therapy is found to be more beneficial than the ultrasound therapy (p=0.046).

Conclusion

Both ultrasound and laser can be used in the management of pressure sores. However in the present study it is seen that LLLT is more beneficial than the ultrasound therapy in the management of pressure sores.


Keywords


Ultrasound Therapy, Low Level Laser Therapy, Pressure Sores, Wound Healing, Physical Therapy

References