Background and Objective Chronic and infected leg ulcers (LUs) are painful, debilitating, resistant to antibiotics, immensely reducing patient's quality of life. The purpose of the new clinical research project was to demonstrate the the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an alternative to antibiotic therapy for the treatment of infected chronic LUs.
Patients and Methods PDT using irradiation at fluency 80 J / cm2 and 20% 5-aminolevulinic acid topically applied for 4 hrs, was performed during 10 days of hospitalization in 10 patients both sexes aged 40-85, with chronic leg ulcers, who had not responded well to conventional treatment. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (local Octenidine dihydrochloride). The numerical scale of pain was used. Treatments were carried out at 3-week intervals.
Result During 8 months follow up, complete remission (CR) was obtained in 4 patients (40%), partial response (>50% reduction in ulcer diameter), in 3 patients (30%), no response in 1 patients (10%). In two patients (20%) was observed deterioration of the local condition, with swelling, erythema and inflammation.
Conclusion PDT allowed healing of chronic leg ulcers through the antimicrobial effect, modulation of inflammatory process and improving the oxygenation of ulcer tissue with a reduction in healing time and improving scarring results with the reduction of pathological bacterial culture. Further studies on the larger group of patients are needed to confirm the benefit role of PDT in the treatment of LUs.
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