title: Postoperative discomfort in oral soft tissue surgery: a comparative perspective evaluation of Nd:YAG Laser, quantic molecular resonance scalpel and cold blade.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper was to compare pain, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and need for painkillers during the postoperative course of oral soft tissue surgery performed with neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, quantic molecular resonance (QMR) scalpel and cold blade.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and sixty-three similar surgical interventions were subclassified as follows: group 1 (G1), 77 cases performed with Nd:YAG laser; group 2 (G2), 45 cases performed with QMR scalpel and group 3 (G3), 41 cases performed with cold blade. Pain was evaluated using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and a Verbal Rating Scale-6 (VRS-6) on the same day of surgery (day 0), and at 1, 3 and 7 days after surgery. The HRQoL was evaluated on day 7 using a 0-45 score range questionnaire. On day 7, painkillers taken were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences could be highlighted in the VAS and NRS scores at day 1, 3 and 7. A trend toward significance at day 0 was evident, with a VAS and NRS average scores lower in G1 than G2 and G3. With regard to VRS-6, the scores resulted statistically lower in G1 than G2 and G3 at day 1 and 3. The HRQoL in G1 was statistically lower than G3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that the use of new technologies in oral soft tissue surgery is associated to a reduction of postoperative discomfort. The better HRQoL and the lower postoperative pain observed in laser-treated patients may be associated to the possible bio-modulating effect of the laser.
authors: Department of Biomedical Biotechnological and Translational Sciences, Center of Oral Laser Surgery and Oral Medicine Dental School, University of Parma, Parma, Italy - ilaria.giovannacci@gmail.com.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Giovannacci
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Mergoni
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Meleti
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Merigo
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Fornaini
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Manfredi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bonanini
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Vescovi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult