Photobiomodulation and photodynamic therapy in the treatment of pressure injuries: a scoping review.
Alexsandra Martins da Silva, Gabriela Machado Silva, Jerusa Celi Martins and 2 others
PMID 39969041WHAT IT FOUND
Mapped studies reported low-level light therapy or photodynamic therapy reduced pressure injury size and aided healing, but protocols varied and evidence remained limited.
Do not adopt it as proven wound care.
Key findings
01The review mapped 24 studies, including 8 case reports and 7 narrative reviews.
02In one randomized placebo-controlled trial of 15 participants, LED phototherapy groups showed greater healing than placebo over 24 sessions.
03One included systematic review found very low or insufficient evidence to support adjuvant therapies, including laser, for pressure injury healing in older patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a scoping review, so it mapped the evidence rather than testing whether the treatments work. The included evidence was dominated by case reports and narrative reviews. The authors state there is a scarcity of robust in vivo clinical studies and gaps in reliable parameters. There is no consensus on the ideal wavelength or energy dose, and study methods were heterogeneous.
Declared interests
The work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC), Grant # 2021TR000432.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that photobiomodulation or photodynamic therapy is proven to heal pressure injuries. The review mapped mostly case reports and reviews, and included evidence was very low or insufficient for adjuvant therapy in older patients.