Study finds ‘significant’ wound size reduction in ulcers treated with methylene blue photodynamic therapy

A study into the effectiveness of methylene blue (MB) mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a treatment for diabetic foot ulcers has shown the method resulted in ‘significant wound size reduction’.

A case report from a Brazilian team aimed to look at the potential of the emerging treatment in cases of diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure ulcers.

The method was used on people with complex chronic wounds larger than 40 cm2 with low healing potential. Once a week, they had an aqueous formulation of MB at a concentration of 10 mg/mL (1% w/v) applied topically on their wounds, which were then irradiated with a light-emitting diode (LED) light source (660 nm, 3.8 J/cm2) with 9 mW/cm2 on tissue surface.

Follow-up from 2018 to 2021 assessed symptom improvement and recurrence rates, with the results being described as “satisfactory, with significant wound size reduction, and a decrease in aspects indicative of infection including odour, presence of exudates, and purulence.”

The team concluded: “After methylene blue-mediated photodynamic therapy (MB-PDT), patients showed significantly reduced wound secretion, no signs of local reaction, and no adverse effects such as burning sensation, pain, itching, skin erythema, or general malaise.”

The study, Treatment of chronic wounds with methylene blue photodynamic therapy: A case report, was led by Tania Toyomi Tominaga from Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste.

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