Affiliation:
1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine Bucheon South Korea
2. Department of Plastic Surgery, Asan Medical Center University of Ulsan College of Medicine Seoul South Korea
Abstract
AbstractLight‐emitting diode (LED) lights produce a variety of wavelengths that have demonstrable efficacy in therapeutic and aesthetic fields. However, a repetitive treatment regimen is required to produce treatment outcomes, which has created a need for portable LED devices. In this study, we aimed to develop a portable therapeutic LED device and investigate its healing effect on excisional wounds in a rat model. The 35 × 35 mm‐sized LED device was used on a total of 30 rats with full‐thickness wounds that were divided into two groups depending on radiation intensity (11.1 and 22.2 mW/cm2 group). LED irradiation was performed every 24 h for 30 min, over 14 days, in direct contact with the wound. Percentage wound closure was measured by photographic quantification and was assessed histologically using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's Trichrome staining, and immunohistochemistry for Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD31. Percentage wound closure was significantly higher in 22.2 mW/cm2 irradiated wounds than that in the control wounds on days 7 and 10. The area of collagen deposition was remarkably larger in 22.2 mW/cm2 irradiated wounds than that in the control, with more horizontally organized fibres. CD31 immunostaining confirmed a significant increase in the number of microvessels in 22.2 mW/cm2 irradiated wounds than that in the control wounds, although there was no difference in VEGF immunostaining. Our novel portable LED device accelerates wound healing in a rat model, raising the possibility that portable LED devices can combine convenience with accessibility to play an innovative role in wound dressing.