Oral soft tissue wound healing after laser surgery with or without a pool of amino acids and sodium hyaluronate: a randomized clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare secondary intention healing of oral soft tissues after laser surgery with and without the use of a compound containing amino acids and sodium hyaluronate. BACKGROUND DATA: Sodium hyaluronate has been successfully used in medicine to promote healing. It has not been studied in the healing of laser-produced wounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Excisional biopsy was performed in oral soft tissues with a potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser (532 nm, SmartLite, DEKA, Florence, Italy) in 49 patients divided into two groups. In the study group (SG), 31 patients received a compound gel containing four amino acids and sodium hyaluronate (Aminogam((R)), Errekappa, Italy) after laser surgery; in the control group (CG), 18 subjects received no treatment involving a drug or gel. Numeric rating scale (NRS) was used to evaluate pain experienced after surgery [pain index (PI)]. Using a grid as a benchmark and computer software, the lesion area was measured after surgery (T0) and after 7 days (T1). A percentage healing index (PHI) was calculated indicating healing extension in 7 days. RESULTS: SG cases showed an average PHI of 64.38+/-26.50, whereas the average PHI in the CG was 47.88%+/-27.84. Mean PI was 2.67+/-0.96 for SG and 2.75+/-0.86 for CG. A statistically significant difference was detected between the groups for PHI (p=0.0447), whereas no difference was detectable for PI (p=0.77). CONCLUSIONS: The use of a gel containing amino acids and sodium hyaluronate can promote faster healing via secondary intention in laser-induced wounds, although it does not seem to affect pain perception.