PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH THE OUTCOME OF SURGICAL TREATMENT USING 445 nm WAVELENGTH LASER IRRADIATION AS A TISSUE-ALTERATION INSTRUMENT

A study of patient satisfaction with surgical outcomes using 445 nm wavelength laser irradiation as a tissue-altering instrument was conducted through questionnaires administered to patients following tongue frenuloplasty for Grade I–III ankyloglossia. The clinical cohort included 30 patients aged 18 to 62 years. Frenuloplasty of the tongue was performed with 445 nm wavelength laser irradiation. This technology entails non-contact dissection of the oral mucosa at low power. In all observed cases, the procedure was bloodless, with no postoperative complications such as bleeding or hematoma, and was not associated with significant swelling or hyperemia of the mucosa in the suture area. To determine the Patient Satisfaction Index, a patient survey was conducted 2 weeks and 3 months after surgery using the Patient Satisfaction Scale. The Patient Satisfaction Index with surgical treatment on the 14th day after surgery was 94%, 3 months after surgery – 100%, which was significantly (p = 0.0059) higher than the first indicator. In 100% of the cases observed, patients reported high satisfaction with the fact that the surgical procedure was performed using laser technology, which entailed a shorter operative time, bloodlessness, no unpleasant sensations in the oral cavity, and no risk of hematoma formation in the early postoperative period. The newly developed set of unique questionnaire items allows for a quantitative assessment of patient satisfaction with the surgical treatment of ankyloglossia using laser technologies.