title: Acetic acid iontophoresis for recalcitrant scarring in post-operative hand patients.
abstract: METHODS
  Retrospective cohort comparison.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Using acetic acid iontophoresis (AAI) as a treatment modality significantly improved the functionality of hand in patients with recalcitrant scarring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open trigger finger release patients followed up exclusively at a hand clinic between 2009 and 2011 were analyzed. Group I recovered optimal total active range of motion (TAM) after 14 standard of care (SOC) therapy sessions but Group II (10 digits) could only reach optimal recovery after 7 additional AAI sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After SOC therapy, Group I's TAM recovery plateaued at 245 and Group II's at 219 (p < 0.01). After undergoing AAI, the TAM of Group II increased from 219 to 239 (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical studies suggest that AAI can modify collagen structure in scars. AAI could be a novel non-surgical treatment for restoring functionality to areas affected by difficult, recalcitrant scars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AAI significantly improved the TAM of hand surgical patients who could not recover optimally with SOC therapy alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level 3.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dardas
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yule
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Straughn
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: cday1@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000368:Aged; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D052582:Trigger Finger Disorder / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Acetic acid; Lontophoresis; Scar therapy; Total active range of motion; Trigger finger