Radiation therapy represents an important cornerstone in the treatment of numerous cancers, as evidenced by the fact that approximately 50% of patients with cancer will receive this form of treatment. In 95% of these individuals, radiation therapy causes some form of skin injury as high doses of radiation causes significant harm to healthy tissue and skin. Management of injuries due to ionising radiation is challenging, with injuries ranging from acute redness to full ulceration of the skin. This can cause considerable anxiety and discomfort to patients. This case study explores the use of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in the treatment of acute radiation injury of the lower eyelid skin.
This article was originally published in Wound Healing Southern Africa, 2021 Vol 14 No 2