Patient Selection & Contraindications Flashcards
7 cards from real CLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Selection & Contraindications flashcards as text
A patient reports using a tanning bed regularly. How does this affect laser therapy patient selection?
Answer: Recent tanning increases melanin levels, raising the risk of thermal injury
Elevated melanin from recent UV exposure increases light absorption in the epidermis, which can lead to overheating and burns during laser treatment.
A patient with a pacemaker wants shoulder laser therapy. What is the safest approach?
Answer: Consult with the patient's cardiologist before proceeding
While the shoulder is distant from the pacemaker, electromagnetic effects and systemic responses warrant cardiologist clearance before laser therapy.
In which clinical scenario is laser therapy to the eye region strictly prohibited without specialized equipment?
Answer: In all scenarios without appropriate laser-specific eye protection
Direct or reflected laser irradiation to the eyes can cause irreversible retinal damage; appropriate protective eyewear is mandatory for all laser classes during treatment near the eye region.
A patient on warfarin (blood thinner) presents for knee laser therapy. What is the primary risk to consider?
Answer: Increased bleeding risk if the laser causes any tissue disruption
Patients on anticoagulant therapy have increased bleeding risk, which must be considered especially if using higher-power laser settings that may cause tissue changes.
Why is laser therapy contraindicated directly over growth plates in skeletally immature patients?
Answer: Laser energy may disrupt epiphyseal plate development and affect bone growth
The growth plates (epiphyses) in children are actively proliferating cartilage, and laser stimulation may interfere with normal bone development.
A patient presents with vitiligo in the treatment area. Which consideration applies?
Answer: Depigmented vitiligo patches lack melanin protection and may be more susceptible to thermal injury
Depigmented skin in vitiligo lacks melanin, which normally provides some protection from light absorption, requiring therapists to reduce dosage in those areas.
A patient reports a known allergy to light (solar urticaria). How should this affect laser therapy planning?
Answer: This is a relative contraindication; proceed with a patch test and heightened monitoring
Solar urticaria indicates abnormal immune sensitivity to light energy, making it a relative contraindication requiring a test dose and careful monitoring for adverse reactions.