Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Chitosan, which is an amino polysaccharide resulting from the deacetylation of chitin, regarding its biomedical features such as antioxidant activity, muco-adhesive and hemostatic properties, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, used for medical purposes. Oral cavity and oropharynx are two important structures that in terms of rich blood supply, hemorrhage might be life threating requiring effective hemostatic management. In present study, we evaluated the effect of chitosan dressing on oral cavity wound healing and hemostasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine male dogs were selected simple randomized and divided into three groups. A wound was made in the buccal mucosa bilaterally. We used chitosan powder dressing on the right side, chitosan-free gaze was used on the left side and bleeding time was determined. Three Dogs after5, three dogs after 10, and three dogs after15 days underwent biopsy bilaterally and pathologic assessment performed. Continuous and ordinal variables were reported as a median and IQR, and Wilcoxon test, and Friedman test were used to analyzing. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Statistical analysis (Wilcoxon test) showed that the overall differences between two groups were statistically significant for (Acute inflammation score: P=.025; Collagenization score: P=.046; Neovascularization score: P=.046; Granulation tissue: P=0.046, and Re-epithelialization score: P=0.038). Chitosan powder dressing application significantly reduced acute inflammation and neovascularization, and increased collagenization, granulation tissue and re-epithelialization. Furthermore, the median time of bleeding and percentage change of wound size which were not statistically significant for all 3days in the case and control groups but they were clinically significant. CONCLUSION: Chitosan salt powder dressing positively impacts the wound bleeding control and on mucosal wound healing according to histopathologic and gross wound healing indexes.