Clinical Research Directory

Evaluation of Skin Stiffness Changes in Wounds Before and After Low-Level Laser Therapy

Chronic wounds and impaired healing remain a major clinical challenge, particularly in patients with diabetes, vascular disease, or age-related skin fragility. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) at 660 nm has been reported to enhance tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and promote angiogenesis. However, the biomechanical properties of wound tissue following LLLT remain poorly understood. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) provides a non-invasive, high-resolution method to assess skin microstructure and elasticity, while the MyotonPRO offers quantitative stiffness measurements at the tissue surface. Combining these two complementary modalities may provide a more comprehensive assessment of wound healing progression and treatment response. This study aims to evaluate changes in wound stiffness before and after 660 nm LLLT and to compare them against contralateral normal skin, thereby providing objective insight into the biomechanical efficacy of laser treatment.

Study on the Effectiveness of Hypothermal Sulphurous Water in Wound Hygiene

This is an interventional double arms pilot study on the effectiveness of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) rich and microbiologically pure spa sulphurous water, in the wound hygiene of hard-to heal wounds, set in an italian spa facility. At least 24 subjects enrolled according to selection criteria will be 1:1 randomized in two intervention groups: the former (A) undergoing pack of sulphurous water on soaked gauzes for 20 minutes, the latter (B) undergoing full limb immersion for 20 minutes. Differences among the two arms will be assessed as changes in wound microbiome, wound pH, Trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), 1000x ex-vivo microscope imaging, wound fluorescence imaging for bacterial colonization and longitudinal shifts in wound sizing and peculiar features according to the Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT). Time required for re-epithelization will be recorded together with any adverse reactions or events for both arms and compared. The study aims at assessing the effectiveness of hydrogen sulfide exogenous supply on infected or colonized hard to heal wounds and which way of administration (pack Vs immersion) could have prevailing effects.