As a pioneer in laser medicine in the country, Pune based Dr. Prakash Katariya challenges the decision of any doctor to ampute a leg of a patient suffering from peripheral arterial disease, gangrene, diabetic gangrene, non-healing wounds or ulcers. Laser Medicine or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is an answer to this.

Talking to this correspondent Dr. Katariya, Clinical Head and Scientist, Indian Institute of Laser Medicine, Pune said, "We have been doing fundamental research in laser medicine. We have tried laser therapy on the patients who were advised amputation of leg at thigh level. We could avoid all the amputations till date." He further elucidated that the treatment was given for few weeks and the patients were observed over a period of few months. No internal medicine was used to any of these patients except vitamins and minerals. Laser therapy was used as monotherapy in all these serious patients. "The results are so encouraging that, in future, majority of the amputations can be avoided and the leg can be salvaged," he averred.

Dwelling on the clinical observations carried out on his patients, he said that the gangrenous portion showed all favorable changes in 1-2 weeks of laser therapy. Peripheral pulses became palpable in few weeks from the commencement of laser therapy and the pain due to ischemia was dramatically relieved. The Doppler studies showed the overall improvement in the circulation of the body part concerned and the patient and referring doctor felt no need of amputation-in 4-8 weeks of laser therapy. "The average cost of the total treatment could be US$2000," he added.

Commenting on the usage of laser therapy in India and worldwide he said, "In India the benefits of laser therapy have not been exploited efficiently by the doctors. Majority of the highly qualified doctors, too, are unaware of the possibilities of cure in laser medicine. While in developed countries laser therapy has been widely practiced," and further added that in Russia alone there are 50,000 practitioners.

Elaborating on the action of laser on tissues and clinical effects of laser, he said, "Laser therapy increases ATP formation and protein synthesis. It modulates cell multiplication and improves microcirculation. It also improves collagen synthesis and normalizes blood pressure. It corrects lipid metabolism and immune system amongst other significant actions."

Dr. Katariya has recently been invited by the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery at Joint International Laser Conference to be held at Edinburgh in the month of September 2003. He would be presenting papers on the efficacy of the LLLT on renal failure, diabetes melitus, prolapsed Intervertebral disc, amputations in peripheral arterial disease, migraine and CAD.