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Healing impairment of open wounds by skin irradiation
E F Bernstein1, L Harisiadis, G D Salomon
1Department of Dermatology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107-5541.
Background:
Ionizing radiation is frequently used for the treatment of malignancy. Sequelae of therapeutic radiation frequently present clinical problems in the form of poor wound healing and easy injury of treated tissue in response to mild trauma.
Objective:
We describe a radiation-impaired wound healing model in guinea pigs, developed to determine the effect of cutaneous irradiation on wound contraction.
Methods:
Guinea pigs were anesthetized and a flap of skin was isolated and treated with x-rays to 18 Gy. Circular wounds of identical size were made in irradiated and control skin, and average wound size was recorded.
Results:
Our results demonstrate that a statistically significant wound healing deficit is produced in open wounds by surface irradiation of skin.
Conclusion:
Radiation of skin results in slower healing of open wounds, and provides an in vivo system for evaluation of topical dressings and growth factors in radiation-impaired wounds.