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Early Changes during Skin Repair Using Tissue-Engineered Dermal Template in a Full-Thickness Burn

Publication at Third Faculty of Medicine |
2020

Abstract

Rapid wound closure in extensively burned patients has remained one of the major unresolved issues of medicine. Integra(R) is the most widely established artificial skin, which is composed of a porous matrix of cross-linked bovine collagen and chondroitin 6-sulphate covered by a semi-permeable silicone layer.

We present here a (immuno)histological study of a severely burned patient with a full-thickness burn treated with a tissue-engineered dermal template (Integra(R)) and split-thickness skin graft-based protocol. Immunohistochemical investigation of the artificial dermis revealed that immune cell infiltration reached its peak on day 10.

Tissue immunophenotyping found an increase in CD3+ cells over the course of the study as well as CD4 and CD8 positivity on day 40, indicating remaining T-cell subpopulations. We observed weak/no infiltration of NK cells (CD56+).

In conclusion, the use of bi-layer Integra(R) represents a feasible and safe procedure resulting in formation of non-irritating dermal substitutes.