Therapy of chronic wounds with water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA)

The central portion of chronic wounds is often hypoxic and relatively hypothermic, representing a deficient energy supply of the tissue, which impedes wound healing or even makes it impossible. Water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) is a special form of heat radiation with a high tissue penetration and a low thermal load to the skin surface. wIRA produces a therapeutically usable field of heat and increases temperature, oxygen partial pressure and perfusion of the tissue. These three factors are decisive for a sufficient tissue supply with energy and oxygen and consequently as well for wound healing, especially in chronic wounds, and infection defense. wIRA acts both by thermal and thermic as well as by non-thermal and non-thermic effects. wIRA can advance wound healing or improve an impaired wound healing process and can especially enable wound healing in non-healing chronic wounds. wIRA can considerably alleviate the pain and diminish wound exudation and inflammation and can show positive immunomodulatory effects.In a prospective, randomized, controlled study of 40 patients with chronic venous stasis ulcers of the lower legs irradiation with wIRA and visible light (VIS) accelerated the wound healing process (on average 18 vs. 42 days until complete wound closure, residual ulcer area after 42 days 0.4 cm² vs. 2.8 cm²) and led to a reduction of the required dose of pain medication in comparison to the control group of patients treated with the same standard care (wound cleansing, wound dressing with antibacterial gauze, and compression garment therapy) without the concomitant irradiation. Another prospective study of 10 patients with non-healing chronic venous stasis ulcers of the lower legs included extensive thermographic investigation. Therapy with wIRA(+VIS) resulted in a complete or almost complete wound healing in 7 patients and a marked reduction of the ulcer size in another 2 of the 10 patients, a clear reduction of pain and required dose of pain medication, and a normalization of the thermographic image. In a current prospective, randomized, controlled, blinded study patients with non-healing chronic venous stasis ulcers of the lower legs are treated with compression garment therapy, wound cleansing, wound dressings and 30 minutes irradiation five times per week over 9 weeks. A preliminary analysis of the first 23 patients of this study has shown in the group with wIRA(+VIS) compared to a control group with VIS an advanced wound healing, an improved granulation and in the later phase of treatment a decrease of the bacterial burden. Some case reports have demonstrated that wIRA can also be used for mixed arterial-venous ulcers or arterial ulcers, if irradiation intensity is chosen appropriately low and if irradiation is monitored carefully. wIRA can be used concerning decubital ulcers both in a preventive and in a therapeutic indication. wIRA can improve the resorption of topically applied substances also on wounds. An irradiation with VIS and wIRA presumably acts with endogenous protoporphyrin IX (or protoporphyrin IX of bacteria) virtually similar as a mild photodynamic therapy (endogenous PDT-like effect). This could lead to improved cell regeneration and wound healing and to antibacterial effects. In conclusion, these results indicate that wIRA generally should be considered for the treatment of chronic wounds.     

威伐光照射联合云南白药散外敷治疗慢性皮肤溃疡

目的 观察威伐光照射联合云南白药散外敷治疗慢性皮肤溃疡的临床疗效及安全性。方法 将100例符合条件的慢性皮肤溃疡患者随机分为4组：对照组、光疗组、药物组和联合组,每组各25例。对照组给予常规外科清创换药,光疗组、药物组和联合组均在对照组的基础上分别予以威伐光照射,云南白药散外敷和威伐光照射加云南白药散外敷治疗,疗程均为4周。观察各组患者治疗前后伤口渗出、疼痛程度、肉芽组织生长情况和溃疡面积的变化,比较各组临床疗效。结果 治疗后联合组总有效率为92.00%,优于光疗组的66.67%和对照组的43.48%（P<0.05）,与药物组（70.83%）比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。治疗后各组的各项临床症状积分与治疗前相比均有改善（P<0.05）;除渗出情况积分与光疗组相比无明显差别外,联合组的各项积分均优于其他各组（P<0.05）。各组均未发生明显不良反应。结论 威伐光照射联合云南白药散外敷治疗慢性皮肤溃疡疗效确切,安全性好。     

水滤红外线A（wIRA）全身热疗设备的进展及应用

红外线A辐射可在靠近皮肤的毛细血管处被转化为热量，并借助血液的流动在体内扩散开来。通过这种方式，人体体温可温和、有效地升高。最新研究成果表明水滤红外线A的优点。水滤红外线A热疗设备是对传统热疗设备的重大改进。     

Biophysical and photobiological basics of water-filtered infrared-A hyperthermia of superficial tumors

Thermography-controlled, water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) is a novel, effective and approved heating technique listed in the ESHO quality assurance guidelines for superficial hyperthermia clinical trials (2017). In order to assess the special features and the potential of wIRA-hyperthermia (wIRA-HT), detailed and updated information about its physical and photobiological background is presented. wIRA allows for (a) application of high irradiances without skin pain and acute grade 2–4 skin toxicities, (b) prolonged, therapeutically relevant exposure times using high irradiances (150–200?mW/cm²) and (c) faster and deeper heat extension within tissues. The deeper radiative penetration depth is mainly caused by forward Mie-scattering. At skin surface temperatures of 42–43?°C, the effective heating depth is 15?mm (T?≥?40?°C) and 20?mm (T?≥?39.5?°C). Advantages of wIRA include its contact-free energy input, easy power steering by a feed-back loop, extendable treatment fields, real-time and noninvasive surface temperature monitoring with observation of dynamic changes during HT, and – if necessary – rapid protection of temperature-sensitive structures. wIRA makes the compliant heating of ulcerated and/or bleeding tumors possible, allows for HT of irregularly shaped and diffusely spreading tumors, is independent of individual body contours, allows for very short ‘transits’ between HT and RT (1–4?min) or continuous heating between both therapeutic interventions. New treatment options for wIRA-HT may include malignant melanoma, vulvar carcinoma, skin metastases of different primary tumors, cutaneous T-and B-cell lymphoma, large-area hemangiomatosis, inoperable squamous cell, basal cell and eccrine carcinoma of the skin with depth extensions ≤20?mm.     

威伐光联合针刺治疗带状疱疹后遗神经痛的 临床观察

目的:观察威伐光联合针刺治疗带状疱疹后遗神经痛(PHN)的疗效。方法:将符合纳入标准的PHN患者96例随机分为针刺组32例,给予常规取穴针刺加皮损局部围刺治疗;威伐光组31例,给予单纯威伐光治疗;联合组33例,给予常规取穴针刺加皮损局部围刺联合威伐光治疗。比较治疗前后3组视觉疼痛模拟量表(VAS)评分、匹兹堡睡眠质量指数(PSQI)及疗效。结果:治疗后,3组VAS评分均低于同组治疗前(P0.05),且联合组低于其他2组(P0.05);除"催眠药物"因子外,3组PSQI及其他6个因子得分均低于同组治疗前(P0.05),且联合组低于其他2组(P0.05);联合组的总有效率高于其他2组(P0.05)。结论:威伐光联合常规取穴针刺加皮损局部围刺治疗PHN的疗效优于单纯使用其中一种治疗手段。     

Therapy of acute wounds with water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA)

Water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) as a special form of heat radiation with a high tissue penetration and with a low thermal load to the skin surface acts both by thermal and thermic as well as by non-thermal and non-thermic effects. wIRA produces a therapeutically usable field of heat in the tissue and increases tissue temperature, tissue oxygen partial pressure, and tissue perfusion. These three factors are decisive for a sufficient tissue supply with energy and oxygen and consequently as well for wound healing and infection defense. wIRA can considerably alleviate the pain (with remarkably less need for analgesics) and diminish an elevated wound exudation and inflammation and can show positive immunomodulatory effects. wIRA can advance wound healing or improve an impaired wound healing both in acute and in chronic wounds including infected wounds. Even the normal wound healing process can be improved.A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study with 111 patients after major abdominal surgery at the University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany, showed with 20 minutes irradiation twice a day (starting on the second postoperative day) in the group with wIRA and visible light VIS (wIRA(+VIS), approximately 75% wIRA, 25% VIS) compared to a control group with only VIS a significant and relevant pain reduction combined with a markedly decreased required dose of analgesics: during 230 single irradiations with wIRA(+VIS) the pain decreased without any exception (median of decrease of pain on postoperative days 2-6 was 13.4 on a 100 mm visual analog scale VAS 0-100), while pain remained unchanged in the control group (p<0.001). The required dose of analgesics was 57-70% lower in the subgroups with wIRA(+VIS) compared to the control subgroups with only VIS (median 598 versus 1398 ml ropivacaine, p<0.001, for peridural catheter analgesia; 31 versus 102 mg piritramide, p=0.001, for patient-controlled analgesia; 3.4 versus 10.2 g metamizole, p=0.005, for intravenous and oral analgesia). During irradiation with wIRA(+VIS) the subcutaneous oxygen partial pressure rose markedly by approximately 30% and the subcutaneous temperature by approximately 2.7°C (both in a tissue depth of 2 cm), whereas both remained unchanged in the control group: after irradiation the median of the subcutaneous oxygen partial pressure was 41.6 (with wIRA) versus 30.2 mm Hg in the control group (p<0.001), the median of the subcutaneous temperature was 38.9 versus 36.4°C (p<0.001). The overall evaluation of the effect of irradiation, including wound healing, pain and cosmesis, assessed on a VAS (0-100 with 50 as indifferent point of no effect) by the surgeon (median 79.0 versus 46.8, p<0.001) or the patient (79.0 versus 50.2, p<0.001) was markedly better in the group with wIRA compared to the control group. This was also true for single aspects: Wound healing assessed on a VAS by the surgeon (median 88.6 versus 78.5, p<0.001) or the patient (median 85.8 versus 81.0, p=0.040, trend) and cosmetic result assessed on a VAS by the surgeon (median 84.5 versus 76.5, p<0.001) or the patient (median 86.7 versus 73.6, p=0.001). In addition there was a trend in favor of the wIRA group to a lower rate of total wound infections (3 of 46, approximately 7%, versus 7 of 48, approximately 15%, p=0.208) including late infections after discharge, caused by the different rate of late infections after discharge: 0 of 46 in the wIRA group and 4 of 48 in the control group. And there was a trend towards a shorter postoperative hospital stay: 9 days in the wIRA group versus 11 days in the control group (p=0.037). The principal finding of this study was that postoperative irradiation with wIRA can improve even a normal wound healing process.A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study with 45 severely burned children at the Children’s Hospital Park Schönfeld, Kassel, Germany, showed with 30 minutes irradiation once a day (starting on the first day, day of burn as day 1) in the group with wIRA and visible light VIS (wIRA(+VIS), approximately 75% wIRA, 25% VIS) compared to a control group with only VIS a markedly faster reduction of wound size. On the fifth day (after 4 days with irradiation) decision was taken, whether surgical debridement of necrotic tissue was necessary because of deeper (second degree, type b) burns (11 of 21 in the group with wIRA, 14 of 24 in the control group) or non-surgical treatment was possible (second degree, type a, burns). The patients treated conservatively were kept within the study and irradiated till complete reepithelialization. The patients in the group with wIRA showed a markedly faster reduction of wound area: a median reduction of wound size of 50% was reached already after 7 days compared to 9 days in the control group, a median reduction of wound size of 90% was already achieved after 9 days compared to 13 days in the control group. In addition the group with wIRA showed superior results till 3 months after the burn in terms of the overall surgical assessment of the wound, cosmesis, and assessment of effects of irradiation compared to the control group. In a prospective, randomized, controlled study with 12 volunteers at the University Medical Center Charité, Berlin, Germany, within each volunteer 4 experimental superficial wounds (5 mm diameter) as an acute wound model were generated by suction cup technique, removing the roof of the blister with a scalpel and a sterile forceps (day 1). 4 different treatments were used and investigated during 10 days: no therapy, only wIRA(+VIS) (approximately 75% wIRA, 25% VIS; 30 minutes irradiation once a day), only dexpanthenol (= D-panthenol) cream once a day, wIRA(+VIS) and dexpanthenol cream once a day. Healing of the small experimental wounds was from a clinical point of view excellent with all 4 treatments. Therefore there were only small differences between the treatments with slight advantages of the combination wIRA(+VIS) and dexpanthenol cream and of dexpanthenol cream alone concerning relative change of wound size and assessment of feeling of the wound area. However laser scanning microscopy with a scoring system revealed differences between the 4 treatments concerning the formation of the stratum corneum (from first layer of corneocytes to full formation) especially on the days 5-7: fastest formation of the stratum corneum was seen in wounds treated with wIRA(+VIS) and dexpanthenol cream, second was wIRA(+VIS) alone, third dexpanthenol cream alone and last were untreated wounds. Bacterial counts of the wounds (taken every 2 days) showed, that wIRA(+VIS) and the combination of wIRA(+VIS) with dexpanthenol cream were able to inhibit the colonisation with physiological skin flora up to day 5 when compared with the two other groups (untreated group and group with dexpanthenol cream alone). At any investigated time, the amount of colonisation under therapy with wIRA(+VIS) alone was lower (interpreted as more suppressed) compared with the group with wIRA(+VIS) and dexpanthenol cream. During rehabilitation after hip and knee endoprosthetic operations the resorption of wound seromas and wound hematomas was both clinically and sonographically faster and pain was reduced by irradiation with wIRA(+VIS). wIRA can be used successfully for persistent postoperative pain e.g. after thoracotomy.As perspectives for wIRA it seems clinically prudent to use wIRA both pre- and postoperatively, e.g. in abdominal and thoracic operations. wIRA can be used preoperatively (e.g. during 1-2 weeks) to precondition donor and recipient sites of skin flaps, transplants or partial-thickness skin grafts, and postoperatively to improve wound healing and to decrease pain, inflammation and infections at all mentioned sites. wIRA can be used to support routine pre- or intraoperative antibiotic administration or it might even be discussed to replace this under certain conditions by wIRA.     

威伐光联合高压氧治疗 SLE 股骨头缺血坏死的临床研究

目的评估wIRA联合高压氧(HBO)治疗系统性红斑狼疮(SLE)患者股骨头缺血性坏死(ANFH)的安全性和临床疗效。方法以随机数字表法将56例SLE并ANFH的患者分为HBO治疗组(A组)和wIRA联合HBO治疗组(B组)。A组28例患者接受HBO治疗(10 d为一个疗程,间隔5 d后进行下个疗程),B组28例患者接受wIRA(每天1次,每次30 min)联合HBO治疗。经过25 d治疗后,比较两组的临床治疗效果。结果在疼痛评分、功能评分、活动评分、Harris总分、旋股内动脉血流速、RI和疼痛VAS评分方面,A组治疗前后相比,差异具有统计学意义(P均0.001),B组具有相同的结果。相较于A组,B组有更高的疼痛评分、功能评分、活动评分和总分(P值分别为0.016,0.004,0.011和0.003)。治疗后,B组较A组有更低RI、疼痛VAS评分和更高的旋股内动脉血流速度(P值均0.05)。结论 wIRA联合HBO治疗能改善SLE患者ANFH的功能状态和缓解疼痛,较单独应用HBO治疗更有效,wIRA可安全、有效的用于ANFH治疗。     

Principles and working mechanisms of water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) in relation to wound healing

The experience of the pleasant heat of the sun in moderate climatic zones arises from the filtering of the heat radiation of the sun by water vapor in the atmosphere of the earth. The filter effect of water decreases those parts of infrared radiation (most parts of infrared-B and -C and the absorption bands of water within infrared-A), which would cause – by reacting with water molecules in the skin – only an undesired thermal load to the surface of the skin. Technically water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) is produced in special radiators, whose full spectrum of radiation of a halogen bulb is passed through a cuvette, containing water, which absorbs or decreases the described undesired wavelengths of the infrared radiation. Within infrared the remaining wIRA (within 780-1400 nm) mainly consists of radiation with good penetration properties into tissue and therefore allows – compared to unfiltered heat radiation – a multiple energy transfer into tissue without irritating the skin, similar to the sun’s heat radiation in moderate climatic zones. Typical wIRA radiators emit no ultraviolet (UV) radiation and nearly no infrared-B and -C radiation and the amount of infrared-A radiation in relation to the amount of visible light (380-780 nm) is emphasized. Water-filtered infrared-A as a special form of heat radiation with a high tissue penetration and with a low thermal load to the skin surface acts both by thermal (related to heat energy transfer) and thermic (temperature depending, with a relevant change of temperature) as well as by non-thermal (without a relevant transfer of heat energy) and non-thermic (not depending on temperature, without a relevant change of temperature) effects. wIRA produces a therapeutically usable field of heat in the tissue and increases tissue temperature, tissue oxygen partial pressure, and tissue perfusion. These three factors are vital for a sufficient tissue supply with energy and oxygen. As wound healing and infection defense (e.g. granulocyte function including their antibacterial oxygen radical formation) depend decisively on a sufficient supply with energy and oxygen, one explanation for the good clinical effect of wIRA on wounds and wound infections can be the improvement of both the energy supply per time (increase of metabolic rate) and the oxygen supply. In addition wIRA has non-thermal and non-thermic effects, which are based on putting direct stimuli on cells and cellular structures.wIRA can considerably alleviate the pain (with remarkably less need for analgesics) and diminish an elevated wound exudation and inflammation and can show positive immunomodulatory effects. wIRA can advance wound healing or improve an impaired wound healing both in acute and in chronic wounds including infected wounds. Even the normal wound healing process can be improved.wIRA is contact-free, easily applied, without discomfort to the patient, with absent consumption of material and with a good effect in the depth. The irradiation of the typically uncovered wound is carried out with a wIRA radiator.     

Hypofractionated re-irradiation of large-sized recurrent breast cancer with thermography-controlled,contact-free water-filtered infra-red-A hyperthermia: a retrospective study of 73 patients

Purpose: Evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity of a new setup of thermographically controlled water-filtered infra-red-A (wIRA) superficial hyperthermia (HT) combined with hypofractionated re-irradiation (re-RT) to treat large-sized breast cancer recurrences.

Methods: Records of 73 heavily pre-irradiated patients with 103 treatment regions, treated from September 2009 to July 2015 were retrospectively analysed. Sixty-four patients with macroscopic disease were treated with 94 regions including 46 patients with lymphangiosis carcinomatosa. Hypofractionated RT consisted of 4?Gy once per week up to a total dose of 20?Gy delivered within 1–4?min after wIRA-HT. Heating of tumour nodules and diffusely spreading cancer lesions was performed under real-time thermographic temperature monitoring, maintaining the maximum skin temperature in the ROI between 42?°C and 43?°C, achieving intratumoural temperatures up to a depth of 2?cm between 39.5?°C and 42?°C. Seventeen patients received re-re-irradiation (re-re-RT) using the same HT/RT-treatment schedule.

Results: Response rates in patients with macroscopic disease: 61% CR, 33% PR, 5% NC and 1% PD. Local control throughout life time after CR of macroscopic disease: 59%. All nine patients with microscopic disease had CR and local control throughout lifetime. Only grade 1 toxicities were observed.

Conclusions: Application of thermographically controlled wIRA-HT combined with extremely low-dose re-irradiation provides good local control throughout lifetime of heavily pre-treated breast cancer recurrences. The twin wIRA radiator provides a sufficiently homogeneous heat deposition for the treatment of larger areas. The time lag between HT and re-RT is substantially reduced. The possibility of re-re-RT opens new therapeutic options for the future.