Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical value of ultrasonic debridement alone, helium-neon (He-Ne) laser therapy alone, and their combined use in the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds. METHODS: A total of 272 patients with chronic non-healing wounds treated at Panzhihua Central Hospital between October 2023 and December 2024 were retrospectively selected and assigned to three groups according to treatment modality: a combined group (n=90, He-Ne laser and ultrasonic debridement), an ultrasonic debridement group (n=95, ultrasonic debridement alone), and a He-Ne laser group (n=87, He-Ne laser alone). Clinical indicators, including wound healing, Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) scores, microbiological parameters, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were assessed before treatment and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment. Adverse reactions during treatment and recurrence rates within six-month of follow-up were collected. RESULTS: The combined group achieved better efficacy compared with the single-treatment groups at all assessment time points. At 12 weeks after treatment, the combined group demonstrated higher complete healing rates than the single-treatment groups (P<0.05). The combined group demonstrated higher wound area reduction rates, lower PUSH scores, lower bacterial infection rates, lower VAS scores, shorter average hospitalization stay, fewer treatment sessions, lower six-month recurrence rates, and lower adverse reaction rates compared with the single-treatment groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The combined application of He-Ne laser therapy and ultrasonic debridement provides significant advantages in managing chronic non-healing wounds. This approach effectively promotes wound healing, enhances bacterial clearance, alleviates pain, shortens treatment cycles, lowers recurrence risk, and reduces treatment-related adverse reactions.