Effects of Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic degenerative muscle disease characterized by cartilage wear, causes progressive joint deformity and loss of function leading to the indication of total hip arthroplasty (THA), when conservative treatments fail. Surgical trauma leads to pain and induces an immune response. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has proven effective in tissue repair by modulating the inflammatory process and promoting pain relief. It can therefore be part of the treatment. This study aims to analyze the effect of PMBT on inflammation and pain of patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty. The study consisted of eighteen patients who underwent hip arthroplasty and they received phototherapy in a period from 8 to 12 hours after surgery. We divided the patients into two groups (n=9 each) placebo and effective phototherapy. The patients were evaluated before and after phototherapy with 9 diodes, applied to 5 points along the scar (1 laser 905nm, 4 LEDs 875nm and 4 LEDs 640nm, 40.3J total), by visual analogue scale (VAS) and blood collection for analysis of the levels of the cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8.