Use of laser phototherapy on a delayed wound healing of oral mucosa previously submitted to radiotherapy: case report

Radiotherapy produces both acute and delayed effects on mucosal tissues, disturbing their healing. This report shows a successful treatment with laser phototherapy (LPT) on a delayed wound healing in oral mucosa previously submitted to radiotherapy with a follow up of 3 years. A 47-year-old patient treated 6 months earlier for tongue squamous cell carcinoma by surgery and radiotherapy presented with a mass in the operated area. Biopsy showed chronic inflammatory infiltrate around a residual polyglactin suture. After 2 months there was a painful mucosal dehiscence on the biopsy site. LPT was performed using a semiconductor laser with 660-nm wavelength (InGaAlP) and spot size of 0·04 cm2. The parameters applied were 40 mW, 4 Jcm2/point, 0·16 J/point, 2·4 J/session. The irradiation was performed punctually, through contact mode in 15 points (4 seconds/point), on top of and around the lesion, during ten sessions. The wound healed completely after ten sessions. This treatment proved to be conservative and effective, inducing healing of a chronic wound in a tissue previously submitted to radiotherapy.