Frequent Application of the New Gelatin-Collagen Nonwoven Accelerates Wound Healing. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schiefer, Jennifer L.; Rath, Rebekka; Held, Manuel; Petersen, Wiebke; Werner, Jan-Ole; Schaller, Hans-Eberhard; Rahmanian-Schwarz, Afshin
• Is Part Of: Advances in skin & wound care. Volume 29:Number 2(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: model full-thickness wounds -- collagen-gelatin nonwoven application frequency -- wound healing; Wounds and injuries -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Wound healing -- Periodicals; Skin -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Dermatology -- United States -- Periodicals; 617.106
• DOI: 10.1097/01.ASW.0000476097.86161.57
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1527-7941

Abstract

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE: Mortality after chronic wounds is high. Thus, proper and effective therapy is of critical importance. Adult mammalian skin cannot regenerate spontaneously. It heals under scar formation in a process of repair. In general, wound closure is achieved through a combination of contraction, scar formation, and regeneration. To enhance wound healing, research groups are continuously inventing and evaluating novel skin replacement products. A single application of a new gelatin-collagen nonwoven accelerates wound closure of full-thickness skin defects. Therefore, the authors' objective was to evaluate the effect of a higher application frequency of the nonwoven on wound closure in a minipig model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four full-thickness skin defects were created surgically on the dorsum of 12 Göttingen minipigs. Next, 3 wounds were treated randomly with a novel gelatin-collagen nonwoven in different thicknesses, while the fourth wound was left untreated and served as the control wound. Moreover, 6 minipigs achieved multiple applications of the wound dressing. During the experimental period of 21 days, a close-up photographic documentation was performed. Finally, the areas of the initial wounds were excised and examined histologically. RESULTS: More frequent application of the nonwoven achieved accelerated wound healing and better epidermis quality compared with a single application. Mean time until wound closure of all wounds treated with a multiple application of the nonwoven was 11.0 (± 1.2) days, compared with a single application of the nonwoven with 12.4 (± 1.26) days and control wounds with 13.5 (± 1.19) days. Furthermore, the epidermal thickness of all wounds treated with multiple applications of the nonwoven was increased by 10.67 μm (31.89 ± 8.86 μm, P = .0007) compared with a single application of the nonwoven and by 6.53 μm (27.75 ± 7.24 μm, P = .0435) compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple applications of the gelatin-collagen nonwoven may be an appropriate treatment for chronic wounds leading to a fast wound closure through a combination of contraction and re-epithelialization.