A Novel Collagen-Gelatin Scaffold for the Treatment of Deep Dermal Wounds-An Evaluation in a Minipig Model.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Today, autologous skin transplantation is frequently used for full-thickness skin defects. There is still a high demand for new wound-healing products to replace autologous skin transplantation. OBJECTIVE: In this context, the effect of a new collagen-gelatin scaffold on full-thickness skin defects was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four full-thickness skin defects were created surgically on the dorsum of 6 Göttingen minipigs. Three wounds were randomly treated with a novel collagen-gelatin scaffold in different thicknesses, whereas the fourth wound was left untreated and served as a control wound. During the experimental period of 21 days, a close-up photographic documentation was performed. Afterwards, the areas of the initial wounds were excised and examined histologically. RESULTS: The systematic evaluation of 24 wounds showed that treatment with the new collagen-gelatin scaffold led to an accelerated wound repair of 1.1 days. Compared to control wounds, it also demonstrated improved skin quality in regard to epidermal thickness. CONCLUSION: The new collagen-gelatin scaffold supports and accelerates dermal wound repair compared to untreated control wounds. Nevertheless, wound treatment with the scaffold was only performed on the first day. In further studies, the impact of multiple scaffold applications on full-thickness skin defects should be investigated.