Photobiomodulation with Blue Light in non-healing wounds

SUMMARY

Chronic skin lesions represent a serious nursing and medical problem worldwide on both economic and quality of life costs, so it’s a priority the search of a therapy that stimulate the healing process of wounds. Clinical observations were conducted on 19 patient (average age 75 years) with ulcers of diverse aetiology, older than 2 months or more, and not responding to standard of care treatments, including compression therapy for venous leg ulcers. Eleven patients with venous ulcers, six patients with post- traumatic skin lesions, three patients with cutaneous vasculitis, one patient with wound dehiscence and four patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) ulcers, of which three had already undergone revascularization, were observed. The treatment schedule adopted was the application of blue LED light for 1 minute once a week for a maximum period of 10 weeks.

Of the 19 wounds observed, 16 responded to the treatment (84%) reaching an average 50% reepithelization within the maximum 10-week observation period. Five wounds reached between 50–80% reepithelization and six wounds reached over 80% reepithelization (of these, half reached total reepithelization over an average 7-week period). In the group of patients with venous ulcers, seven out of nine ulcers responded to the treatment, with an average 65% reepithelization. The treatment was well tolerated by all patients and a higher compliance was recorded. No adverse events occurred. The Authors also focuses on three clinical cases in which the contribution of Photobiomodulation with blue light was particularly positive given the initial conditions of the wound, underlying the critical role of the therapy in the healing process.