Characterizing Laser-Induced Wound Healing Dynamics Using Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• UltraClear Laser-Coring treatment creates microchannels in the skin.
• Understanding the early tissue response is crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes.
• Line-field optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) offers high-resolution, non-invasive imaging capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of serial LC-OCT imaging in visualizing early tissue response patterns after UltraClear Laser-Coring.
• To assess the impact of a regenerative serum on the healing process compared to a control.
• To document the in vivo imaging characteristics of laser-created microchannels over time.

Main Methods:

• A single subject underwent UltraClear Laser-Coring treatment on bilateral forearms.
• One arm received a regenerative serum; the other received petroleum jelly as a control.
• Serial LC-OCT imaging was performed from Day 1 to Day 18 to monitor microchannel healing.

Main Results:

• LC-OCT visualized progressive epithelialization of microchannels, achieving near-complete surface continuity by Day 4.
• Stratum corneum-like layers reformed, and cellular changes indicative of healing were observed.
• Dermal remodeling, including vessel dilation and fiber definition, was noted between Days 8 and 18.
• No significant differences in healing patterns were observed between the serum-treated and control sites.

Conclusions:

• Serial LC-OCT imaging is effective for documenting in vivo tissue responses to UltraClear Laser-Coring.
• Distinct epidermal and dermal healing patterns were identified using LC-OCT.
• This study supports the feasibility of using LC-OCT for real-time visualization of laser-induced tissue effects.