J Korean Radiol Soc.  1982 Jun;18(2):193-199. 10.3348/jkrs.1982.18.2.193.

The radiation effect on healing of surgical wound in mouse skin

• Chung SH
• Park CI
• Han MC
• Kim CW

• KMID: 2463294
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1982.18.2.193

Abstract

Remarkable improvement in control of malignant tumor was achieved by combined surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. In Past, radiation therapy had been recommended after 4-6 weeks from operation because of worry about increased complication rate of surgical wound by post-operative irradiation. Nowadays, early surgical extirpation and early post-operative irradiation is recommended for better therapeutic effect. To evaluate the relationship between surgery-radiation interval and healing of surgical wound, an experimental study was undertaken using a total of 132 mice. A single dose of 2000 rads irradiation was delivered immediate after and on 1,3,5,10,14days after incision and suture on the skin of hind limbs of mice. Tensile strengths of the wounds were measured after removal of stitches on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 14th and 21st post-operative days. The results are summarized as follows; 1. Wound healing was delayed by irradiation delivered within 3 days from operation. 2. No significant delay of wound healing was observed by irradiation on 5 or more days after operation. 3. Normal wound strength was attained at 21st post-operative day in any surgery-radiation interval. 4. More severe delay of wound healing by irradiation at 24 hrs after operation than by immediate post-operative irradiation although statistical significance is not confirmed. In conclusion, early post-operative irradiation delays healing of the surgical wound though ultimately tensile strength reaches the value of non-irradiated wound.