Laser therapy has long been widely and effectively used as a physiotherapeutic treatment method for a wide range of diseases. With the advent of new modern equipment, it has become possible to implement an advanced laser therapy technique — intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI).
What is intravenous laser blood irradiation (ILBI)?
The mechanism of action of ILBI is based on its effect on cellular structures and the maintenance of homeostasis. By using this method of laser therapy, an effect is achieved at all levels — blood elements, blood as a whole (its rheological properties), and a systemic response of the entire organism.
During ILBI, a laser optical fiber — a conductor of low-intensity red-spectrum laser radiation — is inserted directly into a vein, which reduces optical energy losses during the procedure. ILBI is used in cardiology, neurology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and many other fields of medicine.
Effects of intravenous laser blood irradiation:
- improvement of erythrocyte function, enabling more active oxygen uptake and transport to tissues;
- improvement of tissue trophism;
- enhancement of microcirculation;
- correction of immune system imbalance;
- improvement of the biophysical properties of blood;
- bactericidal effect;
- increase in antioxidant activity of the blood;
- normalization of metabolic processes in the body;
- stimulation of cellular regeneration.
Indications for ILBI:
- neurological disorders;
- cerebrovascular disorders and their long-term consequences;
- atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels;
- vertebral artery syndrome;
- chronic cerebral ischemia (dyscirculatory encephalopathy);
- vegetative-vascular asthenia;
- cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, exertional angina, arterial hypertension, obliterating atherosclerosis of the lower extremity vessels, etc.);
- diseases associated with immune dysfunction — multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, recurrent herpes infections, and others.
How is intravenous laser blood irradiation performed?
The ILBI procedure is carried out in a treatment room or a specially designated area in compliance with all laser safety requirements. The patient is seated in a chair or positioned on an examination couch. Under aseptic conditions, a procedural nurse performs puncture of the cubital vein using a disposable needle containing an optical fiber. The optical fibers are sterile and single-use only. The fiber is then connected via a special adapter to the laser radiation source — the ILBI device. After completion of the procedure, the needle with the optical fiber is removed from the vein and disposed of.
The average duration of the procedure is 20–30 minutes. After the procedure, the patient rests in comfortable conditions for at least 30 minutes. The full course of treatment usually consists of 5–10 sessions, which may be performed daily or every other day. The procedure is painless and is well tolerated by the vast majority of patients.
The use of ILBI contributes to improved treatment outcomes for various diseases and leads to overall improvement in patients’ clinical condition.
