Effects of Infrared Laser Versus Zinc Iontophoresis on Burn Wound Healing in Children
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- Category: Vol. 77, March 2009
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Effects of Infrared Laser Versus Zinc Iontophoresis on Burn Wound Healing in Children,REDA S.M. SARHAN
Abstract
Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare between the effect of both Infrared (IR) laser bio-stimulation and the effect of zinc iontophoresis on the accel-erating rate of healing of burn wound in children.
Subjects: Thirty children from both sexes (20 males and 10 Females), participated in this study were selected randomly from King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital Burns Unit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, having burn in their lower extremities, anterior surface of the leg and/or dorsum of feet. Their ages were ranging between 5 and 9 years.
Methods: These children were randomly divided into two Study groups of equal number. Study group A (n=15), 10 males and 5 females) and group B (n=15) 10 males and 5 females). Patients belonging to the group (A) received physical therapy program, comprising positioning, stretching and remedial exercises in addition to IR laser for the burnt area. On the other hand, patients belonging to the group (B) were subjected the same physical therapy program in addition to zinc Iontophoresis for the burnt area. Treatment continued for both groups of patients for one hour/session, three times/week, for twelve successive weeks. The wound surface area was assessed before and after the suggested period of treatment, using the metric graph paper method. The wound area was calculated from the product of cross-diameters of the wound sites. The curative effect was expressed as the percentile of wound area compared with that on day 0 (100%). The passive range of foot dorsi-flexion was assessed by using a LCD goniometry. Furthermore, the present pain intensity scores were assessed.
Results: The collected data after termination of the sug-gested period of treatment of both groups revealed significant improvement in the study group (A), compared to those of the study group (B). Furthermore, a similar improvement was also noted in comparing the results of each Study group before and after treatment. Such an improvement included reduction of the wound area and pain intensity scores in addition to an increase in the foot dorsi-flexion ROM.
Conclusion: It should be stressed that utilization of IR laser irradiation in combination with the traditional physical therapy modalities have promotive effects on burn wound healing and more effective in treating burnt areas than using zinc iontophoresis.