EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL LASER THERAPY ON LIVER REGENERATION AND THE LASER PARAMETERS EMPLOYED

Resumo

Low-level laser therapy has various biological effects; one of them is tissue regeneration. Its application in the liver of rats after partial hepatectomy to promote liver regeneration has recently been studied. The aim of this article was to review the recent studies on the effects of low-level laser therapy on rat liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy and the laser parameters used. A review of recent relevant literature was performed in Pubmed, Scielo, Medline and Bireme databases. Articles about the application of low-level laser therapy on hepatic regeneration were included. Articles with hepatic regeneration in the presence of pathologies were not included. Nine studies were found matching the study criteria. In most studies, low-level laser therapy promoted liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, without further damage to the remaining liver. Not all laser parameters necessary for the reproducibility of the study were described by all authors. The therapeutic use of low-level laser therapy in liver regeneration can be promising, however, as liver is a vital organ and the laser application is intraoperative, future studies are needed. The parameters used must be properly described and standardized to allow the reproducibility of the study, so that a therapeutic window can be defined and its clinical use can be considered. It is also essential to clarify the mechanisms by which the laser promotes liver regeneration, to guarantee its safety and therapeutic efficacy.