PHOTOBIOMODULATION THERAPY WITH LLLT IN PATIENTS WITH UNILATERAL VOCAL FOLD PARALYSIS.

Ph.D. Nidia Patricia Cedeño O. Speech and language pathologist.

Background: Vocal fold paralysis not only generates dysphonia but can cause dysphagia, also accompanied by the complications that this entails. Photobiomodulation therapy has been defined as a therapy that allows neuro repair, neuro regeneration, reduces neuro inflammation and facilitates cellular development (muscle and mucosa cells that make up the vocal fold).

Objective: 2023 This is a review of cases in which it is shown that photobiomodulation with low-power laser therapy (LLLT) favors and accelerates the recovery of chordal adduction in vocal fold paralysis in 137 patients

Materials and method: This is a documentary, descriptive and retrospective research, of a quantitative nature, carried out in the period between 2012 and 2023. This is a review of cases in which it is shown that photobiomodulation with low-power laser therapy ( LLLT) favors and speeds up the recovery of chordal adduction in unilateral vocal fold paralysis in 137 patients. To determine the evolution, the acoustic analysis of swallowing and the acoustic analysis of the voice were performed in the first therapy session and in the last therapy session. The latter with the phoneme /a/ where the voice alterations are most evident. The 137 patients were treated with photobiomodulation therapy with therapeutic laser classification III A, 100 mw, 650 nm, for 5 minutes over the nervous path and in the thyroid shield over the vocal fold, followed by traditional therapy for the recovery of glottic closure.

Results: Swallowing and phonatory recovery was evident between 3 and 5 sessions, ending the therapeutic act in an average of 12 therapies, when traditionally such recovery is evident between 20-25 sessions and in some cases without recovery.

Conclusion: Laser Photobiomodulation therapy can serve as a therapeutic complement for the prompt recovery of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis.

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