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Case Series/Study
Radiation-induced ulcers represent a highly complex category of chronic wounds characterized by tissue fibrosis, microvascular damage, chronic inflammation, and impaired cellular responsiveness. These wounds frequently fail to progress despite optimized standard of care and advanced wound therapies. Autologous, blood-based biologic treatments offer a promising strategy to restore local regenerative signaling in this uniquely compromised tissue environment. This report describes an ongoing clinical experience using a novel autologous blood technology in the management of radiation-associated chronic ulcers in oncology patients.
Methods:
Two patients with chronic, non-healing ulcers secondary to radiotherapy are being treated with an autologous blood patch system as an adjunct to standard wound care. After routine wound bed preparation, a stabilized whole-blood clot is generated at the point of care from a small venous blood sample and applied directly to the wound bed. Treatments are performed weekly for up to 10 weeks. Clinical monitoring includes serial assessment of wound dimensions, granulation tissue development, epithelial migration, exudate level, local inflammation, and patient-reported pain. Photographic documentation is collected at each visit.
Results:
At the time of abstract submission, both cases remain under active treatment. Early clinical observations indicate favorable wound-bed responses, including initiation of granulation tissue, improved tissue stability, and reduced exudate following initial applications. Preliminary trends suggest improved local tissue tolerance and patient comfort without evidence of treatment-related adverse events. Quantitative wound closure data and long-term outcomes are currently being collected and will be presented at the time of the SAWC conference.
Discussion:
This ongoing clinical experience highlights the feasibility of using autologous, blood-based wound therapy in the management of radiation-induced ulcers, one of the most challenging categories of chronic wounds. Early observations support the potential of biologically active clot matrices to stabilize irradiated tissue and promote regenerative signaling. Presentation of final clinical outcomes is anticipated to inform future studies and define the role of autologous blood-based therapies in oncology-associated wound repair.