Photobiomodulation Therapy and Dexamethasone in the Management of Oral Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Case Report.

Background

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in the oral cavity is a rare complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and treatment has a varying length of time for wound healing.

Objective

This case report present a 63-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of acute lymphoid leukemia, submitted a related allogeneic HSCT, which after 6 months evolved with oral acute GVHD, presenting odynophagia, dysphagia, and difficulty of hygiene.

Methods

We started the mouthwash dexamethasone and nystatin oral suspension and five sessions of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) (660 nm, 100 mW, 0.028 cm2, 2 J, 70 J/cm2, 20 sec/point) has been used with daily applications in the oral cavity (at the lesion sites and in healthy areas).

Results

Complete healing of the oral lesions was observed in 5 days although the patient had acute skin and gastrointestinal GVHD.

Conclusions

The treatment of oral acute GVHD with PBMT is still rare in the literature, but due to a good result in wound healing with PBMT, we have used this therapeutic option in combination with dexamethasone and have been successful in healing and reducing pain.