Études cliniques
relatives au low level laser chez les patients acouphéniques
Evaluation de la satisfaction du client parmi les utilisateurs du TinniTool MedicLaser
Finn Andersen, Gabriele Deterville, IHA-GfK, ISO-Zertifiziert (ISO-9001), nach Normen des Swiss-Interview
The IHA-GfK is the most renowned institut of market study in Switzerland. The results given and statements made in this presentation correspond 100% to the data collected and are fully valid.
A total of 141 patients were interviewed. After the MedicLaser + TinniTool treatment, the results were very promising. It has been shown and can be assessed that other known marketed therapies did not reach the same value.
The Soft Laser TinniTool is used to treat tinnitus in 96% of cases. 56% do not know the cause of this complaint. The main causes of the complaint were named as illness, stress and work, as well as serving in the armed forces. 42% of the respondents had used the Soft Laser TinniTool for 3 months. For 65% of those affected, the complaint had been reduced by up to 25%, for 20% between 25% and 49% and, for 9%, by 50%-100%. The longer the period of use, the greater the success of the treatment. On a scale of 0 to 9, satisfaction with the Soft Laser TinniTool achieved an over average of 4.8. Satisfaction with the Soft Laser TinniTool increased in proportion to the length of use as well as with the extent to which the complaint had been reduced. 18% also used the Soft Laser Tinnitool for other forms of treatment, such as for joints, acne, scars and arthrosis. The satisfaction of those respondents who had also used the Soft Laser TinniTool for other forms of treatment achieved overall a good score of 6.38 on a scale of 0 to 9. Overall satisfaction with the Soft Laser TinniTool increased with length of use. 54% of the respondents would buy the Soft Laser TinniTool again. 67% would recommend the Soft Laser TinniTool to others.
Thérapie laser à basse énergie pour le traitement des acouphènes avec le TinniTool EarLaser
Dott. Domenico Cuda, Dott. Antonio R. de Caria, département ORL– Clinique de Piacenza, Italie / Publié dans le "International Tinnitus Journal" Vol.14, No.2, 175-180 (2009)
The most relevant study concerning TinniTool Earlaser treatment was undoubtedly carried out in Italy. In a double-blind study, the tinnitus treatment centre of the ENT division of the Piacenza clinic treated 46 patients (27 men and 19 women) with tinnitus with the TinniTool EarLaser. These cold light lasers have a power of more than 5mW, and have a wavelength of 650 nm.
The measurements were evaluated using the standardized THI (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory – according to Dr. Newman) evaluation system. The improvement observed after the treatments was significant. The difference between the test group and the placebo group was also significant. In total, the results showed an improvement in 88% of the cases. In 62% of patients treated, the improvement was very significant (one category according to THI). In 11.6% of cases, the improvement was even quite remarkable (by 2 categories according to the THI).
L’efficacité de la thérapie laser TinniTool à basse énergie pour les acouphènes et la baisse sensorielle de l’audition
Dr. Mohammad Al-Masri, Ph.D.; Lina Abu Khader, MSc., Mohammad Tawalbeh, AL-Ahliyya Amman University
Recently, low energy laser therapy has become a therapeutic alternative for the treatment of chronic tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss. In this clinical study 32 patients with tinnitus were treated with Tinnitool Earlaser. All patients had been suffering from constant tinnitus for more than 3 months. Some of them had high blood pressure, diabetes, hearing loss or chronic heart disease. The Softlaser had a power of 5 milliwatts and a wavelength of 650 nanometers. The duration of use was 20 minutes per day.
The results show an improvement both in the intensity of tinnitus and in the degree of hearing loss. In 88% of cases, an improvement of more than 25% was observed. In 47% of patients, the tinnitus had even disappeared completely. In 66% of cases an improvement in hearing loss of more than 5 decibels was observed at the frequency level of 250-8000 Hz and in 10% of patients an improvement of more than 20 decibels was observed. As a conclusion of this clinical study, it can be confirmed that low energy laser therapy with TinniTool Earlaser is a very effective method of treatment for tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss.
TinniTool Thérapie au laser à faible intensité chez les patients souffrant d'acouphènes
Ahmed H Salahaldin, Khalid Abdulhadi, Nihal Najjar, General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar
The study included 65 patients aged 15 – 76 years with chronic tinnitus from a minimum duration of illness of one year. The investigation included 101 ears of 65 patients. A 5mW laser with a wavelength of 650 nm was applied for 20 minute once daily for 3 months.
Over half of the patients (56.9%) had some form of improvement in their tinnitus symptoms. Mild improvement was reported in 33.8% of patients; moderate improvement was reported in 16.9% and full improvement was reported by 6.15% of patients. In patients who reported dizzy spells as a symptom of their tinnitus condition, 27.7% reported mild improvement and 16.9% reported full improvement. Conclusion : Low level laser therapy was found to be useful for treatment of chronic tinnitus.
Revisión de Resultados de la Terapia Laser TinniTool de Bajo Nivel de Estimulación
Juan Carlos Olmo, M.Ed. Magíster, Instituto Costarricense de Audiología Clínicas de la Audición, Costa Rica
Twenty-two known patients with long-standing chronic tinnitus, aged between 36 and 61 years, who had received prior specialized ENT medical treatment without positive results to reduce tinnitus discomfort, were followed. This group of patients acquired the Tinnitool device, with the characteristics described above.
These are preliminary results of the study in such cases: Improvement = 45 %, Disappearance = 20 %, No Change = 35 %. Low Level Laser Stimulation therapy has been shown to be effective in 59% of cases of subjective tinnitus, surpassing the percentages of any placebo in the investigations. Conclusion: It is a valid alternative for patients who have tried to find a solution by medical and surgical means without success.
TinniTool Thérapie au laser à basse intensité : Caractéristiques et mesures subjectives des acouphènes
Prof. M. Savastano (MD), L. Termine (Tech), V. Prosenikliev (MD), University of Padua (IT)
This study considered 49 consecutive tinnitus sufferers, 24 females (mean age 57 years) and 35 males (mean age 54 years), observed by the ENT Section of the Department of Medical-Surgical Specialities of Padua University. In the study were included all tinnitus sufferers who sought help from an ENT Specialist only for this symptom. All patients underwent the application of a Soft Laser system, consisting in a Medical Laser with 5mW output power and 650nm wavelength and the headset EarTool (fibreglass optical fibre in the ear), applied to all the patients 1 x per day, 20 minutes, for three months. The device was conceived so that treatment could be carried out at home. As control group were considered 10 subjects who underwent the application of a Laser placebo, without any radiation, with the same modality of the sample group. Moreover tinnitus annoyance was studies using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) which help to identify the degree of problems that tinnitus may be causing.
The intensity of tinnitus ranged between 10-20 db in 6 subjects (12,24%), 25-40 db in 13 (26,53%), 40-60 db in 22 (44,89%), 60-70 db in 4 (8,16%), 70- 90 db in 4 (8,16%). The intensity resulted between 10-20 db in 5 subjects(10,20%), 25-40 db in 17 (34,69%), 40-60 db in 19 (38,77%), 60-70 db in 3 (6,12%), 70-90 db in 3 people (6,12%), not perceived in 2 people (4,08%). Conclusion: In our study the most relevant effect is the reduction of tinnitus intensity in the group of patients who underwent the treatment with active laser. In this group it was observed a statistically significant reduction in tinnitus intensity threshold after LLT therapy.
Thérapie au laser à faible intensité pour l'acouphène
Peng Z, Yiu-Qi Chen, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
Background:
This is one of a number of tinnitus reviews. The paragraphs are based on earlier work.
Description of the intervention:
LLLT is non-invasive, painless and can be easily administered in primary care settings. LLLT acts by inducing a photochemical reaction in the cell, a process referred to as biostimulation. It is an irradiation technique that has the ability to induce biological processes using photon energy. There are studies showing proliferation and angiogenesis. Most evidence of efficacy is based on the increase in energy state and the activation ofmitochondrial pathways. It has been reasonably well established that mitochondria are a principal intracellular target of red and near infrared light. In recent years, LLLT has been widely used in the treatment of tinnitus. These laser beams are cool to the touch and do not cause discomfort. They are aimed into the auditory canal and through the mastoid bone behind the ear. The wavelength nature of these lasers allows them to penetrate tissue.
How the intervention might work:
The prevailing opinion is that the respiratory chain plays a central role in the effect induced by laser therapy. Laser energy in the red and near infrared light spectrum is capable of penetrating tissue. It stimulates mitochondria in the cells to produce energy through the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondria are the power supplies of all cells; they metabolise fuel and produce energy for the cell in the form of ATP. It has been reported that LLLT irradiation increases the production of ATP. Increased ATP production may lead to enhanced cell metabolism, promoting the damage recovery process, returning cells to a healthy state and reversing many degenerative conditions. For ear disorders, low-level laser has been reported to alter the collagen organisation within the cochlea, especially within the basilar membrane. Also, LLLT has a beneficial effect on the recovery of cochlear hair cells after acute hair cell loss, increases cell proliferation, synthesis of ATP and collagen, release of growth factors, promotes local blood flow in the inner ear and activates repair mechanisms in the inner ear through photochemical and photophysical stimulation of the hair cell mitochondria.
Primary outcomes:
• Improvement in tinnitus severity and disability
Secondary outcomes:
• Improvement of quality of life
• Change in socio-economic impact associated with work
• Change in anxiety and depression disorders
• Change in psychoacoustic parameters
• Change in tinnitus loudness
• Change in overall severity of tinnitus
• Change in thresholds on pure-tone audiometry
Thérapie au laser à faible intensité chez les patients atteints de dysfonction cochléaire chronique
Dr. Stefan Tauber et al., HNO-Universitätsklinik und Laser Forschungslabor, Universität München
In a double-blind placebo-controlled study low-level-laser light was applied to 175 patients with chronic tinnitus. The patients received 3 single irraditations with different diode-laser with 635-830 nm and dosages from 4 to 100 Joule/cm2.
Low-level laser therapy for chronic tinnitus has been well tolerated without side effects. In general higher dosages caused to a stronger attenuation of tinnitus.
In comparison to placebo: – tinnitus loudness is improved by laserlight of 780 nm – tinnitus is attenuated by laserlight between 690 and 830 nm concerning visual analogue scales of 5 different parameters. – total tinnitus score has been improved by irradiation with laserlight of 635 up to 830 nm. Regarding those results, tinnitus-laser offers an innovative and secure way of effective tinnitus treatment in patients with chronic tinnitus. Tinnitus-lasers are a new therapeutic system for chronic cochlear tinnitus without risk of side-effects.
Corrélats neuronaux du laser cochléaire transméatal (TCL)
Christian M. Siedentopf, Department of Radiology II, Division of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Innsbruck, Austria
Transmeatal cochlear laser (TCL) treatment has recently been proposed as a therapeutic procedure for cochlear dysfunction such as chronic cochlear tinnitus or sensorineural hearing loss. The aim of this study was to investigate whether TLC has any influence on the central nervous system using functional MRI with healthy young adults. The laser stimulation device was placed on the tympanic membrane of both ears. A laser stimulation run and a placebo run were performed in random order. The participants were unable to differentiate between verum and placebo stimulation. In the comparison of verum to placebo runs, we observed significant activations within the left superior frontal gyrus, the right middle and medial frontal gyrus, the right superior parietal lobule, the left superior occipital gyrus, the precuneus and cuneus bilaterally, the right anterior and the left and right middle and posterior cingulate gyrus and the left thalamus. This network of brain areas corresponds well to results from previous PET studies of patients with tinnitus. Though TCL seems to have a clinically measurable effect on the central nervous system the neurophysiological mechanism leading to the observed activated neuronal network remains unknown.
Traitement au laser des patients souffrant d'acouphènes
Dr. Beyer, Dr. Tauber
Dr. Beyer & Dr. Tauber performed an ex-vivo laser penetration study. Based on these findings it was possible to calculate the energy needed to obtain a dose of 4 J/cm2 in the cochlea itself. Irradiation via the mastoid showed values 103 to 105 times smaller (depending on wavelength) than irradiation through the tympanic membrane. 35 patients were treated five times within 2 weeks. One group was irradiated with 635 nm diode laser, the other with 830 nm diode laser. By self-assessment around 40% of the patients reported a slight to significant attenuation of the tinnitus loudness of the irradiated ear.
Traitement complet des patients souffrant d'acouphènes
M. Prochazka, R. Tejnska
37 patients suffering from tinnitus (age 18-86 years) were treated in three ways: 1. Rehabilitation: mobilisation, physical training, physiotherapy. 2. Same as 1 but with placebo laser added. 3. Same as 1 but with functional laser added. Laser used was 830 nm 300 mW. 2-3 treatments per week were given, total 10 treatments. Treatment protocol: 90 J/cm2 CW on mastoideus, 45 J/cm2 5 Hz on mastoideus, 50 J/cm2 CW on acoustic duct, 25 J/cm2 5 Hz on acoustic duct. Tebokan Egb 761 ginko medication was added to treatment. Results were classified as no effect/less than 50% relief/more than 50% relief/no more tinnitus. The percent wise outcome for the three groups was: 1.29.4/44.1/17.6/8.9 2. 25.8/48.4/25.8/0 3. 19.4/19.4/35.5/25.8 Auris Nasus Larynx. 1997; 24 (1): 39-42.
In an extended study over 3 years Prochazka [1263] evaluated the effect of laser in a group of 200 patients. These patients were taking gingko biloba preparations (73%) or Betahistadine (39%) and also had physical therapy, mainly directed at the neck vertebrae. Laser therapy was performed with a 300 mW GaAlAs laser, 75 J/cm2 into the ear and 135 J/cm2 behind the ear. The outcome was: no more tinnitus 26%, more than 50% relief 43%, less than 50% relief 15%, no effect 16%. In addition a group of 31 patients were selected for a double blind study where the same therapy as above was performed, but one group received placebo laser. At 6 months the outcome was as follows, with laser/no laser: no more tinnitus 25.8%/0.0%, more than 50% relief 35.5%/25.8%, less than 50% relief 19.4%/48.4%, no effect 19.4%/25.8%.
Thérapie laser douce pour le traitement de l'acouphène
Dott. R. Teggi, Dott. C. Bellini, Dott. M. Bussi, IRCCS San Raffaele - Università Vita e Salute - Milano
The therapeutic results obtained with LLLT were compared with the results of a placebo group; n definitive will be of 30 patients per group, currently data referred to n=13 per therapeutic group and n=16 per control group. Randomized, double-blind study; laser of the placebo group completely identical to the group that performed therapy but did not emit therapeutic light. Application of home LLLT with TinniTool for 20 minutes a day for 4 months. Laser characteristics: 5mw, 650 nm, total absorbed energy for application 6 Joule/c.
Conclusion: Improvement of the « physical » characteristics of tinnitus; decreased Loudness. However, there are no statistical variations in THI values and VAS scales. No side effects recorded. Acufen after therapy is more easily masked and decrease patients with hyperacusia. The latter data suggest the possible use of LLLT associated with TRT to improve the parameters that most hinder the success of therapy with sound enrichment.
Combinaison d'une thérapie au laser à faible intensité et d'un extrait de ginkgo biloba comme essai clinique à l'aveugle pour le traitement de l'acouphène
Olivier J., Plath P., Laser Therapy, 5:137-139, 1993, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tinnitus is a troublesome and often debilitating complaint of neuro-otologic origin, but of indefinite cause. Many treatment methods have been tested, but so far none have been really successful. The present preliminary study reports on a blind trial with 40 patients, 20 each in a trial group and in a control group, who were treated with laser therapy in combination with the intake of a ginkgo biloba extract.
All 40 patients received a biloba extract injection, but only the 20 trial patients actually received laser irradiation, eight days a day for eight minutes.
The control group received only fake irradiation. From the experimental group, 50% reported that their tinnitus was reduced by more than 10 dB compared to 5% in the control group for both self-assessment and audiometric results.
Although this is only a preliminary report, the results are very encouraging and the authors recommend this combined photochemotherapy as a promising treatment for tinnitus.
Efficacité de l'irradiation laser transméatale de faible puissance pour l'acouphène chronique
Gungor A, Dogru S, Cincik H, Erkul E, Poyrazoglu E.; Department of Otolaryngology, Haydarpasa Military Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Objective: To evaluate effectiveness of 5 mW laser irradiation in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. Study design: Prospective, randomised, double-blind study. Methods: This investigation included 66 ears in 45 patients with chronic unilateral or bilateral tinnitus. A 5mW laser with a wavelength of 650 nm, or placebo laser, was applied transmeatally for 15 minutes, once daily for a week. A questionnaire was administered which asked patients to score their symptoms on a five-point scale, before and two weeks after laser irradiation. A decrease of one scale point, regarding the loudness, duration and degree of annoyance of tinnitus, was accepted to represent an improvement.
Results: The loudness, duration and degree of annoyance of tinnitus were improved, respectively, in up to 48.8, 57.7 and 55.5 per cent of the patients in the active laser group. No significant improvement was observed in the placebo laser group.
Conclusion: Transmeatal, low power (5 mW) laser irradiation was found to be useful for the treatment of chronic tinnitus.
Laser infrarouge appliqué dans le méat acoustiqueus
Prof. Shiomi
Prof. Shiomi has investigated the effect of infrared laser applied directly into the meatus acousticus, 21 J, once a week for 10 weeks. The result of this non-controlled study is as follows: 26% of the patients reported improved duration, 58% reduced loudness and 55% reported a general reduction in annoyance.
The same author [687] has also examined the effect of light on the cochlea using guinea pigs. Direct laser irradiation was administered to the cochlea through the round window. The amplitude of CAP was reduced to 53-83% immediately after the onset of irradiation. The amplitude then returned to the original level. The results of this investigation suggest that laser therapy might lessen tinnitus by suppressing the abnormal excitation of the eighth nerve of the organ of Corti.
Durée moyenne des acouphènes de 10 ans
Dr. Hahn
Dr. Hahn examined 120 patients with an average duration of tinnitus of 10 years. The patients underwent pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry and objective audiometry tests. The intensity and frequency of tinnitus was also determined. EGb 761 was administered 3 weeks before the start of laser therapy. The patients underwent 10 sessions of laser therapy, each lasting 10 minutes. An improvement in tinnitus was audiometrically confirmed in 50.8% of the patients; 10 dB in 18, 20 dB in 22, 30 dB in 10, 40 dB in 6 and 50 dB in 5 patients.