Introduction. Increasing concentrations of xenobiotics in the biosphere have induced the growth of microelementoses. The pathology is frequent among children as a result of their adaptive insufficiency calling forth a decrease of nonspecific resistance. These tendencies make increasingly urgent the need for development of more efficient ways to correct environmentally determined conditions.

Purpose: a comparative study of immunobiochemical and elemental status of sickly children from environmentally vulnerable population groups in order to expose the exact etiology for decreasing nonspecific resistance and to develop a combined therapy system for their rehabilitation.

Materials and methods. Children from environmentally vulnerable population groups were the object of research. Enzyme immunoassay methods were used to examine the levels of hormones, blood chemistry values, and immunoglobulins. Atomic absorption was employed to determine the concentration of chemical elements in the urine. Nutrients and low-level laser radiation were used for rehabilitation of the children.

Results and discussion. Children with sharply decreased nonspecific resistance were found to belong to sickly children category. They had microelementoses of technogenic origin. Rehabilitative therapy for sickly children was more efficient in case of combined application of nutrients and low-level laser radiation.

Conclusion. The performed study demonstrates that rehabilitation of sickly children from environmentally vulnerable population groups would benefit from addition of laser therapy.

Purpose. To assess the degree of disorders in regional microcirculation in patients with decompensated forms of chronic venous insufficiency of lower extremities and potentials for their correction with low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

Material and methods. The authors analyzed results of examination and treatment of 66 patients with decompensated forms of chronic venous insufficiency in their lower extremities. 34 (51.5 %) patients, in addition to traditional therapy, had laser stimulation of microcirculation. For laser irradiation, infrared laser device “Mustang” (wavelength – 0.89 μm, frequency – 80 Hz, power – 10 W, exposure – 2 min per zone) was used. In laser course, there were 10 sessions. The state of microcirculation in tissues was examined with a computerized capillaroscope, a laser analyzer of capillary blood flow and a gas analyzer.

Results. Microcirculation in patients with chronic venous insufficiency C6 has its specific features which, by findings of computerized capillaroscope, are manifested with deep suppression of tissue blood flow: namely, expressed polymorphism of capillary structures, violation of sizeratio of capillary sections, increased venous section, decreased density of the capillary network by 1.8 times, increased pericapillary zone by 1.47 times , decreased speed of capillary blood flow in the arterial section by 10.5 times and in the venous section by 11.5 times.

Conclusion. Patients with decompensated forms of chronic venous insufficiency in lower extremities were observed to have significant morphological and functional changes in microcirculation, including structural changes in microvessels, decreased density of capillary network, increased prevascular zone, decreased speed of capillary blood flow. As a result, these changes cause disorders in tissue trophism, progressive decrease in T_cpO₂ and development of trophic ulcers. Low-level laser stimulation of microcirculation in the complex treatment of patients with decompensated forms of chronic venous insufficiency activates transcapillary metabolism, helps to restore structures and functions of microvasculature by increasing the myogenic activity of smooth muscle cells of arterioles and precapillaries as well as by normalizing arterio-venous relationships what accelerates tissue granulation and ulcer epithelialization.

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of low-level laser radiation in the complex rehabilitation of patients with head and neck tumors after radical surgical treatment as well as to assess the influence of the discussed treatment on the quality of their life.

Material and methods. 134 patients with head and neck cancer aged 23–78 years (mean age – 54.24 ± 12.7 years ) were taken into the study. There were 39 (29.1 %) men and 95 (70.9 %) women. All patients were divided into three groups. In Group 1 (n = 45), patients received traditional rehabilitation treatment (physical exercises, massage, medication); in Group 2 (n = 45), patients had a course of traditional rehabilitation plus low-level laser therapy (LLLT); in Group 3 (n = 44), patients had only several LLLT courses as rehabilitation therapy. For laser therapy, laser device “Azor 2K-02” (laser hazard of class II, GOST 12.1.040-83) was used.

Results. During the treatment, most of the patients noted early disappearance or noticeable decrease in pain and numbness intensity at the site of the surgical; skin sensitivity and increase of the muscular tone in the shoulder girdle and upper limb at the site of the surgical were restored as well. The most pronounced regression of complaints after rehabilitation therapy was observed in patients who had LLLT in combination with other rehabilitative measures.

Conclusion. Radical surgical or combined treatment of patients with malignant tumors of head and neck causes functional disorders of tissues and organs at the site of treatment. Rehabilitation therapy with LLLT in red and/or infrared spectrum range ensures adequate restoration of impaired functions what improves the quality of life of such patients.

Purpose: to describe a clinical case of successful application of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in a patient with leukoplakia of the glans penis skin.

Material and methods. For PDT, chlorin-type photosensitizer “Photolon” was used. The photosensitizer (lyophilized powder) was diluted in 200.0 ml of 0.9 % sodium chloride solution, administered intravenously at dosage 1.5 mg/kg of body weight. After 2.5 hours, intravenous laser blood irradiation was performed with “Lakhta-Milon” laser device (output power – 100 mW, exposure – 30 minutes). Before PDT, fluorescence diagnostics in ultraviolet light with wavelength 395–405 nm was performed. PDT technique was single-field irradiation with output power 1800 mW (1.8 W), irradiation energy density – 150 J/cm². Power density of laser light was 200 mW/cm². Exposure time – 14 min.

Results. After treatment, complete regression of the pathological focus and regeneration of healthy tissue were marked (one month).

Conclusion. PDT in a patient with leukoplakia of glans penis is an effective and safe curative technique.

Findings obtained after the present trial have confirmed that in patients with extracted third molars reparative processes in wounds are more rapid if wound holes are treated with low-level bispectral laser light.

Purpose: to confirm improved reparation, less pain syndrome, and less inflammatory reactions in wounds after the extraction of third molars if laser photodynamic therapy was used in the postoperative period.

Material and methods. Given the extraction of eight teeth is a rather traumatic procedure, the authors proposed a technique for treating inflammatory processes in the mucous of maxillofacial area. To implement this technique in the postoperative period, they treated wound surface with photodynamic technique including a photoactive sensitizer. If upper and lower wisdom teeth were removed simultaneously, phototherapy with low-level laser light and bispectral nozzle was applied unilaterally on days 2, 3 and 5, while the other side was not treated at the rehabilitation period. To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed curative technique, scrapes from the wound surface of teeth holes were taken and examined cytologically on days 3, 7 and 12. Staining by Pappenheim and azur-eosin was applied. A randomized simple blind experiment was conducted; a double-blind experiment was a part of morphological examination.

Results. Smears from the wound surface were examined on days 3, 7 and 12 to find qualitative and quantitative composition of cytological preparations. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found indicating that the performed physiotherapeutic care significantly improves reparative processes.

Laser exposure stimulates cell proliferation and tissue repair. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are widely used in sports medicine as a stimulator of anabolic processes. However, there is no evidence of the effect of combined laser and BCAA application on skeletal muscle morphometric characteristics during exercise in the training process.

Purpose: to study the effect of infrared laser exposure in combination with amino acid at myosatellitocytes and skeletal muscle myocytes during swimming training.

Material and methods. The experiment was conducted on 30 Wistar rats: Group 1 – intact, Group 2 – dynamic control (trainings with endurance swimming), Group 3 – trainings and BCAA, Group 4 – trainings and laser exposure at hip muscles (970 nm, 1 W, 60 s), Group 5 – combined exposure to laser and BCAA. Trainings were three times a week for 6 weeks; laser session was after each training. Samples of the bipedal thigh muscle were fixed with formalin; histological sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The morphometric analysis of the digital image of objects with statistical processing by Mann – Whitney method was made.

Results. Laser exposure combined with BCAA during trainings increased the nuclei area and the number of myosatellites and myocytes; it also enlarged the cross section of muscle fibers which was more pronounced if to compare with isolated laser irradiation of the muscle or BCAA.

Conclusions. Infrared laser exposure in combination with branched-chain amino acids effectively stimulates regeneration due to hyperplasia and hypertrophy of skeletal muscular tissue, thus providing physiological adaptation in the training process.

Despite of an obvious success in the management of cancer patients and in the quality of medical care for them, however there are still open questions on the effectiveness of prevention and treatment of complications after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, as well as on the quality of comprehensive rehabilitation of such patients. One of the possible ways to solve these issues is low-level laser therapy.

Laser therapy in Russia has been successfully used in many areas of modern clinical medicine for more than 50 years; it is still developing and improving. Main advantages of laser therapy are simplicity, comfort, and safety for patients, as well as low costs.

The widespread use of low-level laser light has experimental and clinical justification. Awareness in principles of dosing, methodological features of laser procedures, justified prescription and strict compliance with indications and contraindications can ensure high effectiveness of the discussed therapy in oncologic patients.