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Clinical safety study of photobiomodulation in acute spinal cord injury by scattering fiber

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Abstract

The study aimed to design a reliable and straightforward PBM method by implanting a medical scattering fiber above surgically exposed spinal cord in SCI patients. Moreover, the safety of this method was examined. Twelve patients with acute SCI (ASIA B) requiring posterior decompression were recruited. The medical scattering fiber was implanted above the spinal cord, and was continuously irradiated at 810 nm, 300 mW, 30 min/day, once per day for 7 days. The vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, and oxygen saturation), infection indicators (WBC, NEUT, hs-CRP, and PCT), photo-allergic reaction indicators (Eosinophil and Basophil), coagulation function indicators (PT, APTT, TT) and neurological stability indicators (ASIA sensory and motor scores) were recorded to evaluate the safety of PBM. Three months after surgery, 12 patients completed follow-up. In our study, direct PBM on SCI site did not cause clinically pathologic changes in vital signs of the patients. All patients had higher WBC, NEUT, and hs-CRP at day 3 during irradiation than those before surgery, and returned to normal at day 7. The changes in Eosinophil and Basophil that were closely associated with allergic reactions were within normal limits throughout the course of irradiation. The coagulation function (PT, APTT, and TT) of patients were also in the normal range. The ASIA sensory and motor scores of all patients had no changes throughout the irradiation process. However, in the follow-up, both ASIA sensory and motor scores of all patients had minor improvement than those in pre-irradiation, and 7 patients had adverse events, but they were not considered to be related to PBM. Our study might firstly employ direct PBM in the SCI by using scattered optical fibers. In a limited sample size, our study concluded that direct PBM at the site of SCI would not produce adverse effects within the appropriate irradiation parameters. The method is safe, feasible, and does not add additional trauma to the patient. Our preliminary study might provide a new methodology for the clinical PBM treatment of acute SCI.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China (grant number: 51907197), the Key Science and Technology Program in Social Development of Shaanxi Province (grant number: 2020ZDLSF02-05) and Innovation Foundation for Doctor Dissertation of Northwestern Polytechnical University (grant number: CX2021034).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Zhuowen Liang, Pan Li, Beiyu Chen, Dongsheng Pan, Yongfeng Zhang, Xiaoshuang Zuo, Xuankang Wang, Zhuojing Luo, Xueyu Hu, Tan Ding & Zhe Wang

  2. School of Biomedical Engineering, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Tao Lei

  3. Institute of Photonics and Photon-Technology, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Shuang Wang

  4. Institute of Medical Research Northwestern, Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

    Pan Li

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  1. Zhuowen Liang
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Correspondence to Xueyu Hu, Tan Ding or Zhe Wang.

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Liang, Z., Lei, T., Wang, S. et al. Clinical safety study of photobiomodulation in acute spinal cord injury by scattering fiber. Lasers Med Sci 37, 3433–3442 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-022-03601-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-022-03601-4

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