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Aims: Analyse the impact of a physical recondition program (PRP) on Quality of Life (QOL), associated or not to LED therapy on sternotomy after coronary-artery bypass graft (CABG). Study Design: Follow-up after a clinical trial. Place and Duration of Study: Participants were recruited and followed-up from September 2011 to March 2012 in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Methodology: 90 volunteers were electively submitted to CABG. During hospitalization, volunteers were randomly allocated into three different groups of equal size: Light emitting diode (LED: λ of 640±20 nm, SAEF of 1.2 J/cm2), placebo and control. All patients were subjected to a physical therapy program during their hospitalization and then stimulated to join a physical therapist-supervised PRP after discharge. The patients were followed for six months after the surgery. The Short-Form (36) was used to assess QOL. Results: After six months, patients’ QOL had increased significantly in all aspects when compared to pre-operatory scores, regardless the use of LED (Mann-Whitney test p≤0.05). Discussion: While the use of LEDs has shown to have analgesic and healing effects during hospitalization, the fotobiomodulator not proved to be important in the QOL perception, six months after discharge. In addition, Short-Form (36) showed to be a useful tool to assess the quality of life after CABG, collaborating with risk estimation and prognosis. Conclusion: The QOL of the patients who adhered to a physical reconditioning program supervised by a physical therapist increased in the first six months after surgery, while those patients who also were submitted to LED therapy during hospitalization had even better results.
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INTRODUCTION: Low-intensity laser (LILT) and LED therapy are indicated in repairing surgical incisions, which occur in cardiac surgery. One major concern in this case is the presence of metallic wire used for sternal sutures, its temperature may rise while using a laser or LED. This study aimed to analyze the tensiometric properties of the skin tissue with longitudinal incision and metallic wire implant used for sternal suture irradiated with LILT and LED. METHODS: Twenty-five subjects (Rattus norvegicus) were submitted to thoracic incision with implantation of metallic wire, and subsequently divided into five groups: GI (control group); GII (laser group 6J/cm²); GIII (laser group 10J/cm²); GIV (LED group 6 J/cm²); and GV (LED 10J/cm²). Photobiomodulation was performed on a daily basis for eight consecutive days and the local temperature was measured before and after phototherapy. After euthanasia the tissues were subjected to tensiometric and histological analysis. RESULTS: All irradiated groups showed increase in break strength (p = 0.009), and decrease in tissue deformation strength compared with the control group (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Both LILT and LED can promote wound healing at the tested doses with increased tissue resistance, although its elasticity is reduced. The imprecision of the assessing instruments precluded an accurate measurement of a possible local tissue heating post irradiation and future studies are need to elucidate this effect.