Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review
Introduction Low-level lasers have been suggested as a complement to lymphedema treatment. However, this therapy’s mechanism of action and its effects are poorly understood up to the present. Objective To conduct a systematic literature review to analyze the effects of low-level laser in the treatme...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Editora Champagnat
|
Series: | Fisioterapia em Movimento |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-51502014000400663&lng=en&tlng=en |
id |
doaj-81736873b05e4fcb893e46ae30227a27 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-81736873b05e4fcb893e46ae30227a272020-11-25T02:09:33ZengEditora Champagnat Fisioterapia em Movimento1980-591827466367410.1590/0103-5150.027.004.AR01S0103-51502014000400663Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic reviewSilvia Elizate MonteiroLilian Valim ResendeMônica Faria FelicíssimoAngélica Rodrigues de AraújoCamila Teixeira VazIntroduction Low-level lasers have been suggested as a complement to lymphedema treatment. However, this therapy’s mechanism of action and its effects are poorly understood up to the present. Objective To conduct a systematic literature review to analyze the effects of low-level laser in the treatment of upper-limb lymphedema in women submitted to breast cancer surgery. Material and methods Randomized clinical trials were included, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, from January 1990 to July 2013. The article search was carried out in the Pubmed, Lilacs and PEDro electronic databases, with the following descriptors:Terapia a Laser de Baixa Intensidade, Linfedema, Câncer de Mama, Low-level laser therapy, Lymphedema, Breast Neoplasms and also through a manual search. Results and discussion Low-level lasers have been used for treating several acute and chronic conditions. However, its application for managing post breast cancer surgery is still recent, often based on empirical evidence. Treating upper-limb lymphedema with low-level laser presented positive results, with reduction in the circumference or volume of the affected limb. Conclusion More studies of high methodological quality are needed in order to better understand the mechanism of action of low-level laser on the lymphatic system and its effects on lymphedema treatement.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-51502014000400663&lng=en&tlng=enLow-level laser therapyLymphedemaBreast neoplasms |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Silvia Elizate Monteiro Lilian Valim Resende Mônica Faria Felicíssimo Angélica Rodrigues de Araújo Camila Teixeira Vaz |
spellingShingle |
Silvia Elizate Monteiro Lilian Valim Resende Mônica Faria Felicíssimo Angélica Rodrigues de Araújo Camila Teixeira Vaz Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review Fisioterapia em Movimento Low-level laser therapy Lymphedema Breast neoplasms |
author_facet |
Silvia Elizate Monteiro Lilian Valim Resende Mônica Faria Felicíssimo Angélica Rodrigues de Araújo Camila Teixeira Vaz |
author_sort |
Silvia Elizate Monteiro |
title |
Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review |
title_short |
Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review |
title_full |
Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review |
title_fullStr |
Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review |
title_full_unstemmed |
Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review |
title_sort |
treatment of upper limb lymphedema with low-level laser: a systematic review |
publisher |
Editora Champagnat |
series |
Fisioterapia em Movimento |
issn |
1980-5918 |
description |
Introduction Low-level lasers have been suggested as a complement to lymphedema treatment. However, this therapy’s mechanism of action and its effects are poorly understood up to the present. Objective To conduct a systematic literature review to analyze the effects of low-level laser in the treatment of upper-limb lymphedema in women submitted to breast cancer surgery. Material and methods Randomized clinical trials were included, in Portuguese, English and Spanish, from January 1990 to July 2013. The article search was carried out in the Pubmed, Lilacs and PEDro electronic databases, with the following descriptors:Terapia a Laser de Baixa Intensidade, Linfedema, Câncer de Mama, Low-level laser therapy, Lymphedema, Breast Neoplasms and also through a manual search. Results and discussion Low-level lasers have been used for treating several acute and chronic conditions. However, its application for managing post breast cancer surgery is still recent, often based on empirical evidence. Treating upper-limb lymphedema with low-level laser presented positive results, with reduction in the circumference or volume of the affected limb. Conclusion More studies of high methodological quality are needed in order to better understand the mechanism of action of low-level laser on the lymphatic system and its effects on lymphedema treatement. |
topic |
Low-level laser therapy Lymphedema Breast neoplasms |
url |
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-51502014000400663&lng=en&tlng=en |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT silviaelizatemonteiro treatmentofupperlimblymphedemawithlowlevellaserasystematicreview AT lilianvalimresende treatmentofupperlimblymphedemawithlowlevellaserasystematicreview AT monicafariafelicissimo treatmentofupperlimblymphedemawithlowlevellaserasystematicreview AT angelicarodriguesdearaujo treatmentofupperlimblymphedemawithlowlevellaserasystematicreview AT camilateixeiravaz treatmentofupperlimblymphedemawithlowlevellaserasystematicreview |
_version_ |
1724923076580212736 |