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Published on: September 27, 2024
Acetic acid iontophoresis for recalcitrant scarring in post-operative hand patients
Agnes Dardas1, Gordon H Bae2, Arthur Yule3
1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA.
Study Design:
Retrospective cohort comparison.
Introduction:
Using acetic acid iontophoresis (AAI) as a treatment modality significantly improved the functionality of hand in patients with recalcitrant scarring.
Methods:
Open trigger finger release patients followed up exclusively at a hand clinic between 2009 and 2011 were analyzed. Group I recovered optimal total active range of motion (TAM) after 14 standard of care (SOC) therapy sessions but Group II (10 digits) could only reach optimal recovery after 7 additional AAI sessions.
Results:
After SOC therapy, Group I's TAM recovery plateaued at 245 and Group II's at 219 (p < 0.01). After undergoing AAI, the TAM of Group II increased from 219 to 239 (p < 0.01).
Discussion:
Clinical studies suggest that AAI can modify collagen structure in scars. AAI could be a novel non-surgical treatment for restoring functionality to areas affected by difficult, recalcitrant scars.
Conclusion:
AAI significantly improved the TAM of hand surgical patients who could not recover optimally with SOC therapy alone.
Level Of Evidence:
Level 3.
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