Laser Acupuncture for Post-Cardiac Arrest Consciousness Disturbance: A Case Report

Abstract

The prognosis and outcomes of cardiac arrest (CA) remain poor. Less than 12% of patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive to hospital discharge. In-hospital mortality remains high due to irreversible neurologic injury and post-cardiac arrest syndrome. Laser acupuncture, which is a noninvasive treatment based on the meridian theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine and photobiomodulation, has been reported to be neurologically protective in animal models. To highlight the potential of the therapy in treating post-cardiac arrest brain damage, we describe the case of a 33-year-old, previously healthy man who experienced sudden cardiac arrest during exercise. After cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary–cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) allowed the patient to regain spontaneous circulation and stable vital signs. However, he remained unconscious after hypothermia treatment. The patient was treated with laser acupuncture three times a week, while alternating between two sets of acupoints. After three treatment sessions, consciousness disturbance improved, and the patient became fully alert and oriented after six sessions. The patient's cognition and motor function substantially improved after laser acupuncture treatment. This is the first report of laser acupuncture for the treatment of a comatose state after cardiac arrest, including a detailed description of laser parameters. The case indicates that laser acupuncture may be an integrative treatment option for consciousness disturbance after cardiac arrest. For future research planning, studies should include neuroimaging and neurophysiological parameters (e.g., qEEG, fMRI, or evoked potentials) to better assess the cognitive recovery and the mechanism of laser acupuncture.