High-Intensity Light Therapy on Post-Spinal Surgery Complications and Pain Management: A Case Series

Abstract Purpose High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) has improved postoperative outcomes by promoting faster recovery and analgesia. However, there is little evidence of its effectiveness in the context of recovery after spinal cord surgery. This case series analyzes the postoperative outcomes after spinal cord surgery by measuring pain, complications, and tissue oxygenation. Methods Two cohorts of 16 patients, who were spinal surgery outpatients at MD Anderson Cancer Center, were separated into a HILT group and a control (no HILT) group. In the HILT group, pain levels and tissue oxygenation were assessed before and after each of two HILT sessions. The postoperative complications for each group were compared at each of the two follow-up visits. Results Tissue oxygenation levels were significantly higher after each HILT application at each visit, and pain was significantly reduced after each HILT application compared to before treatment. There was no significant difference observed in the postoperative complications between the control group and the HILT group. Conclusion These results suggest that the use of HILT in the spinal cord surgery postoperative setting improves patient outcomes.