Utilização da fotobiomodulação laser no tratamento da nevralgia do trigêmeo na clínica de laser do centro de biofotônica da FOUFBA no período de 2003 a 2023.

Abstract

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neuropathic condition characterized by intense and recurrent facial pain, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of laser photobiomodulation in treating TN patients seen at the Laser Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) School of Dentistry between 2003 and 2023. A retrospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted using records from 119 patients, most of whom were female (72.27%), with an average age of 58 years. Patients were treated with an 808 nm infrared laser, with personalized dosimetry based on symptom severity, across 12 sessions held every 48 hours. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure pain intensity before and after each session. Among the patients, 55.47% reported significant improvement or absence of pain after treatment, while 34.45% still experienced residual pain, and 10.08% dropped out of treatment. Regarding therapeutic protocols, 78.16% of patients received infrared laser irradiation, 6.72% received red laser, and 8.40% received both. Statistical analysis was performed using Minitab® software, employing tests such as Chi-square and ANOVA to assess treatment efficacy and its association with variables like medication and the number of sessions. No significant correlation was found between medication use and the number of sessions (p=0.822). Laser photobiomodulation proved effective in reducing pain symptoms and improving patients' quality of life, providing a safe, low- cost, and minimally invasive alternative for TN treatment.