Application and Reflection of Traditional Chinese Medicine Fumigation-Washing Therapy in Promoting Wound Healing

Abstract

Wound healing impairment represents a prevalent clinical challenge following surgery, particularly in open wounds associated with anorectal procedures, burns, and diabetic foot ulcers, often manifesting as delayed healing, persistent exudation, and recurrent infection. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) fumigation-washing therapy, as a quintessential external treatment modality, leverages the synergistic “drug-heat-pressure” effect to modulate wound repair through multi-target mechanisms. This article reviews the TCM theoretical foundations, modern pharmacological mechanisms, and clinical research progress of fumigation-washing therapy, with emphasis on its roles in improving microcirculation, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial actions, and regulation of growth factor expression. In view of current limitations including insufficient standardization of syndrome differentiation, inconsistent temperature and treatment duration parameters, and low levels of evidence, reflections and recommendations are proposed to facilitate the standardized application of fumigation-washing therapy.