The efficacy of laser therapy in patients with facial palsy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Facial palsy involves paralysis of any structure affected by the facial nerve and affects facial appearance. Face palsy can result from congenital, idiopathic, neoplastic, infection-related, traumatic, malignant, diabetic, iatrogenic, and other inflammatory causes. Numerous studies have suggested that laser treatment is beneficial for managing facial palsy. The objectives of this review were to examine the effects of laser therapy in hastening recovery from long-term morbidity due to facial palsy. METHODS: We will conduct a systematic analysis of controlled trials reviewing the efficacy of any laser therapy designed to treat facial palsy in patients. We will search multiple electronic databases, trial registries, and bibliographies and will contact authors to identify missing study details. We will use systematic review software to independently filter studies and extract available data and then will summarize characteristics of the study populations, interventions, comparators, outcomes, and quality/risk of bias. Primary outcomes will be categorized into paralysis score, physical facial disability index (PFDI), social facial disability index (SFDI), and recovery rate of supracordal/infracordal lesions. Secondary outcomes will be considered based on study findings. Planned trial subgroup analyses will determine whether the participants had a chronic condition, the type of comparator (i.e., placebo/sham vs. usual care), and study quality/risk of bias. RESULTS: This review intends to establish evidence for laser therapies in improving recovery rates, particularly among patients with facial palsy. CONCLUSION: Its findings will be beneficial to clinicians and patients seeking innovative and effective ways to manage facial palsy and accompanying sequelae.