Assessment of the reparative potential of photodynamic therapy in the healing of post-radiation wounds in a biological model

Objective. To study the reparative effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of radiation-induced ulcers under experimental conditions using a biological model.

Materials and methods. Post-radiation ulcers were induced using local irradiation with a boost dose of 40 Gy were formed in an experimental model on rats. After PDT was applied to the post-radiation ulcers, the rate of their epithelialization, as well as clinical and morphological patterns of the wound healing process, were studied. The following criteria were used to assess effectiveness: clinical evaluation of the wound edges and bed, wound discharge, the nature and volume of granulations, fibrin; histological and cytological patterns of epithelialization (the number of leukocytes, neutrophils, fibroblasts in the wound, presence of vessels, reactive changes in cells).

Results. The clinical, histological, and cytological aspects of the method’s effect on the healing of post-radiation ulcers were studied. After phototherapy, the study groups showed accelerated wound debridement, reduced wound area and exudate volume, and earlier appearance of granulation tissue. The effect is considered dose-dependent: it was more pronounced in the group with two phototherapy sessions than in the group with a single phototherapy session.

Conclusion. The conducted study made it possible to systematize the available data, It proved that PDT is effective against post-radiation ulcers with the aim of their complete epithelialization or accelerated preparation for plastic replacement.

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