The University of Arizona

CHANGES IN TISSUE WATER AND INDENTATION RESISTANCE OF LYMPHEDEMATOUS LIMBS ACCOMPANYING LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY (LLLT) OF FIBROTIC SKIN

HN Mayrovitz, S Davey

Abstract


Our goal was to determine effects of lowlevel-laser-therapy (LLLT) on skin water andtissue indentation resistance (TIR) in patientswith arm (N=38) or leg (N=38) lymphedema.Skin water was determined from tissuedielectric constant (TDC) measurements andTIR determined from measurements of forceresulting from tissue indentations of 3-4 mm.A limb-location with fibrosis was identified bypalpation and treated with an LLLT device forone minute at each of five points within a 3cm2 area. TDC and TIR at these sites andcorresponding sites on the contralateral limbwere measured prior to LLLT (pre-LLLT),immediately after LLLT (post-LLLT) and aftera manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) session(post-MLD). Results, from arms and legs,showed that post-LLLT values of TIR andTDC were significantly less than pre-LLLT.TIR values remained significantly reduced atpost-MLD whereas TDC values were notsignificantly different from pre-LLLT values.On follow-up visit, 17 previously LLLT treatedlegs were sham treated with an inactive LLLTunit and measurements replicated. A TIRand TDC change-pattern similar to thatobtained with the active LLLT was obtained,but sham-related reductions in TIR and TDCimmediately post sham-treatment weresignificantly less than achieved with the prioractive LLLT treatment.

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