Combined Surgical and Radiation Injury. VII. Trace Element Studies of the Healing Wound

Summary Ionizing radiation in the midlethal range retards the wound healing pattern in rats. Iron, copper, and zinc content was sequentially determined in the granulation tissue of wounds of irradiated and nonirradiated rats for a period of 12 days following wounding. The copper levels remained constant in both groups. The granulation tissue iron content paralleled the wound healing pattern. In irradiated animals where wound healing is delayed by 4 days, the iron curve is also delayed. The granulation tissue zinc content of nonirradiated rats increased from days 4 to 12 during the period of most rapid wound contraction. The wound zinc content of the irradiated rat was decreased during this period.