Photodynamic therapy of gunshot wounds soft tissue

Abstract

Introduction. An important component of the treatment of gunshot wounds is antibiotic therapy.
Unfortunately, due to the antibiotic resistance of many strains of microorganisms, there remains a risk of purulent-
infectious complications even with prolonged antibiotic therapy. In recent years, methods of physical
action, in particular, photodynamic therapy (PDT), have been used to accelerate bacterial decontamination of
wounds. Gunshot wounds have their own characteristics that create certain difficulties for the application of
the method of photodynamic therapy.
Purpose. Аnalyzes the results of the application of the developed PDT method in the complex treatment
of gunshot wounds of soft tissues.
Materials and methods. A comparison was made of the main indicators of the wound healing process
between the wounded of the main group who used PDT (n = 52) and the comparison group (n = 32) who used
treatment with complex water-soluble ointments. To increase the effectiveness of the method, the «Photolon»
photosensitizer was administered in two ways: by injection infiltration of tissues around the wound and by application
directly to the wound surface. The wavelength of laser radiation is 660 nm. The dose of laser energy
was 20 J/cm2.
Results. The results of the study showed an improvement in the course of the wound process in all respects
when using PDT: the period of regression of local edema in the main group on (3.7 ± 0.4) days in the comparison
group (6.2 ± 0.5), the period of wound cleansing (4.7 ± 0.6) days (7.3 ± 0.8) days, respectively; the timing of the
start of granulation (4.6 ± 0.5) days and (7.8 ± 0.6). At the beginning of treatment, 45 pathogenic strains were
isolated in 38 (73.1 %) wounded main groups and 26 strains in 22 (68.7 %) wounded comparison groups. A day
after the use of PDT, pathogenic wound microflora was isolated in 5 (9.6 %) wounded main groups — 5 strains
and 23 strains in 19 (59.4 %) wounded comparison groups.
Conclusions. The effects of PDT were observed: rapid inactivation of pathogenic wound microflora,
reduction of edema, pain syndrome and stimulation of granulation growth, which contributes to early closure
of wounds.