25 April 2024 | Magdalena Antoszewska, Ewa Maria Sokolewicz and Wioletta Barańska-Rybak
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a key component of the extracellular matrix and plays a crucial role in wound healing and tissue repair due to its unique properties, including maintaining a moist environment, stimulating growth factors, and promoting cell migration. This review highlights HA's versatility in various medical fields, particularly in managing hard-to-heal wounds, ophthalmology, and otorhinolaryngology. HA is used in wound dressings, hydrogels, films, and scaffolds to enhance healing, reduce inflammation, and improve tissue regeneration. It also exhibits antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it effective in treating chronic wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, and other difficult-to-heal conditions. In ophthalmology, HA is used in eye drops and hydrogels to aid corneal healing and treat dry eye. In otorhinolaryngology, HA is applied to treat ear and throat conditions, including tympanic membrane perforations and chronic pharyngitis. HA-based products are also used in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery for wound healing and tissue regeneration. Despite its promising applications, further research is needed to fully understand HA's potential and optimize its use in wound management. The review emphasizes the importance of HA in various medical fields and suggests that more randomized studies are necessary to validate its effectiveness and establish guidelines for its use.Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a key component of the extracellular matrix and plays a crucial role in wound healing and tissue repair due to its unique properties, including maintaining a moist environment, stimulating growth factors, and promoting cell migration. This review highlights HA's versatility in various medical fields, particularly in managing hard-to-heal wounds, ophthalmology, and otorhinolaryngology. HA is used in wound dressings, hydrogels, films, and scaffolds to enhance healing, reduce inflammation, and improve tissue regeneration. It also exhibits antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it effective in treating chronic wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, and other difficult-to-heal conditions. In ophthalmology, HA is used in eye drops and hydrogels to aid corneal healing and treat dry eye. In otorhinolaryngology, HA is applied to treat ear and throat conditions, including tympanic membrane perforations and chronic pharyngitis. HA-based products are also used in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery for wound healing and tissue regeneration. Despite its promising applications, further research is needed to fully understand HA's potential and optimize its use in wound management. The review emphasizes the importance of HA in various medical fields and suggests that more randomized studies are necessary to validate its effectiveness and establish guidelines for its use.