Poor neurological outcome after treatment with photobiomodulation in a patient recovering from sequelae of vertebral artery dissection.

BACKGROUND

PhotBioModulation Therapy (PBMT) is regarded as a safe therapy for various disorders. We report a patient with a vertebral artery dissection treated with PBMT resulting in a poor neurological outcome.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old patient with a PICA infarction after a vertebral artery dissection was treated with PhotoBioModulation Therapy using a helmet. This therapy induces strong vasodilatation in the area of application. Shortly after this treatment, she fell asleep and did not wake up the next morning. Clinically she was comatose and an MRI showed bithalamic and mesencephalic infarction as a result of thrombosis of the basilar artery tip. A causative relation between the PhotoBioModulation Therapy and the poor outcome is likely based on the time course, the immediate complaints after treatment, and the usually excellent prognosis after vertebral artery dissection.

CONCLUSION

We advise the manufacturers of PBMT devices to add (recent) stroke to the list of contraindications.