A preliminary study on ultrasound techniques applied to evaluate the curative effect of botulinum toxin type a in hypertrophic scars

• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34723
• Publication Date: 2024-07-19T02:43:59Z
• Authors: Liu-liu Cao; Zhi-guo Yang; Wei-hong Qi; Huan Zhang; Yu Bi; Yong Shan; Xin-wu Cui; Fan Jiang
• Keywords: Vascularity; Hypertrophic scars; CD31; Ultrasound Elastography

ObjectiveTo validate the feasibility of ultrasound in assessing curative effect botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) treating hypertrophic scar (HS).MethodsEight healthy New Zealand long-eared rabbits were utilized study. Four wounds, each measuring 1.0 cm diameter, created on both ears rabbit. Immediately after surgery, these wounds received an injection containing a distinct concentration BTXA. On postoperative week 6, thickness, vascularity, and hardness assessed based high frequency (HFUS), superb microvascular imaging (SMI), shear wave elastography (SWE), Masson staining, immunohistochemical staining for CD31.ResultsAll healed well, HSs formed 6 weeks post-surgery. Scar thickness HFUS presented significant decrease with increasing BTXA (p < 0.05), aligning gross morphology. Simultaneously, stiffness, evaluated using SWE, showed accordance variation collagen volume fraction, which refers to ratio positive area total 0.05). Although vascularity index obtained by SMI did not exhibit statistically change across different concentrations, this technique effectively illustrated perfusion HS. Immunohistochemical CD31 revealed that inhibited angiogenesis.ConclusionHFUS SWE displayed excellent performance evaluating HS stiffness. good reflecting signals These techniques have great potential therapeutic