Low Power Laser for Spontaneous Perineal Laceration

Plain-language summary

Scenario: spontaneous perineal laceration is an injury to the tissue in the perineum region, which can occur during vaginal delivery. The lesion can be classified into four degrees, according to the structures affected, with degrees one and two being more common. Some consequences may arise due to lacerations, such as perineal pain, genito-pelvic pain, in addition to infection, and dehiscence of the lesion, which may last up to one year after delivery. A laser is a form of non-ionizing radiation and when used in the repair process it is capable of generating analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing effects. Low-level laser treatment has been used in several areas, promoting cellular and vascular responses capable of accelerating the repair of injured tissue, in addition to pain relief and consequently capable of improving patients' quality of life. Objective: To determine the effects of low-power laser on the acceleration of the healing process and pain relief in primiparous women who had a spontaneous perineal tear, grade one and two, during normal delivery. Methods: a pilot randomized clinical trial will be carried out. Two groups will be divided randomly, one group will receive the application of the laser, and the second group the laser "sham". Data collection will be carried out at the LAbor and delivery rooms of the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP). Primiparous women who had a spontaneous perineal tear, grades one and two, over 18 years of age or younger who are in charge, with a full-term pregnancy, single fetus, cephalic presentation, and who have been admitted to labor at the ANC will be included, excluding patients who are transferred to another sector, those that evolve to a cesarean section or need episiotomy or curettage and, in addition, the presence of infection during childbirth assistance, postpartum hemorrhage and suspected or diagnosed COVID-19. The laser will be applied at three predetermined moments: six hours, 24, and 48 hours after delivery. To evaluate the healing process a REEDA scale and a Peri-rule will be used. The assessment of pain intensity will be through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Ethical Aspects: the research will be submitted to the IMIP Research Ethics Committee and data collection will begin after its approval. All data will be kept confidential and confidential, the participant will be asked to sign the Informed Consent Form before beginning any procedure.

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