Effectiveness of low-level laser therapy compared to standard postoperative care on pain intensity and cesarean section wound healing in the immediate postoperative period: a randomized clinical trial

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in reducing pain intensity and improving wound healing quality in women during the immediate postoperative period following cesarean section. This randomized clinical trial included 104 postpartum women recruited between April and October 2024, who were allocated into two groups: a control group (n = 52) and an experimental group (n = 52). The experimental group received infrared LLLT at a dose of 5 J/cm². Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and wound healing was evaluated using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). Two LLLT sessions were performed at 12-24 h and 48 h postpartum. A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed after the second application (mean difference [MD]: -1.4; 95% CI: -2.3 to - 0.5), as well as an improvement in overall wound healing quality (MD: 3.31; 95% CI: 3.19 to 3.43). Domain-specific analysis of the VSS revealed improvements in vascularity (MD: 1.0; 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.03) and scar pliability (MD: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.15). No significant differences were observed in global health perception or in the need for pharmacological analgesia. These findings suggest that LLLT is effective in reducing postoperative pain intensity and improving wound healing quality-particularly in terms of scar vascularity and pliability-in women undergoing cesarean section.Clinical trial registrationThis study was prospectively registered in the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) under the registration number RBR-4pkhf4b.