BACKGROUND: Chronic wounds represent a major problem to our society. Therefore, advanced wound-healing strategies for the treatment of these wounds are expanding into the field of tissue engineering. OBJECTIVES: To develop a novel tissue-engineered, autologous, full-thickness skin substitute of entirely human origin and to determine its ability to heal chronic wounds. METHODS: Skin substitutes (fully differentiated epidermis on fibroblast-populated human dermis) were constructed from 3-mm punch biopsies isolated from patients to be treated. Acellular allodermis was used as a dermal matrix. After a prior 5-day vacuum-assisted closure therapy to prepare the wound bed, skin substitutes were applied in a simple one-step surgical procedure to 19 long-standing recalcitrant leg ulcers (14 patients; ulcer duration 0.5-50 years). RESULTS: The success rate in culturing biopsies was 97%. The skin substitute visibly resembled an autograft. Eleven of the 19 ulcers (size 1-10 cm2) healed within 8 weeks after a single application of the skin substitute. The other eight larger (60-150 cm2) and/or complicated ulcers healed completely (n = 5) or continued to decrease substantially in size (n = 3) after the 8-week follow-up period. Wound healing occurred by direct take of the skin substitute (n = 12) and/or stimulation of granulation tissue/epithelialization (n = 7). Skin substitutes were very well tolerated and pain relief was immediate after application. CONCLUSIONS: Application of this novel skin substitute provides a promising new therapy for healing chronic wounds resistant to conventional therapies.
BACKGROUND: Chronic wounds represent a major problem to our society. Therefore, advanced wound-healing strategies for the treatment of these wounds are expanding into the field of tissue engineering. OBJECTIVES: To develop a novel tissue-engineered, autologous, full-thickness skin substitute of entirely human origin and to determine its ability to heal chronic wounds. METHODS: Skin substitutes (fully differentiated epidermis on fibroblast-populated human dermis) were constructed from 3-mm punch biopsies isolated from patients to be treated. Acellular allodermis was used as a dermal matrix. After a prior 5-day vacuum-assisted closure therapy to prepare the wound bed, skin substitutes were applied in a simple one-step surgical procedure to 19 long-standing recalcitrant leg ulcers (14 patients; ulcer duration 0.5-50 years). RESULTS: The success rate in culturing biopsies was 97%. The skin substitute visibly resembled an autograft. Eleven of the 19 ulcers (size 1-10 cm2) healed within 8 weeks after a single application of the skin substitute. The other eight larger (60-150 cm2) and/or complicated ulcers healed completely (n = 5) or continued to decrease substantially in size (n = 3) after the 8-week follow-up period. Wound healing occurred by direct take of the skin substitute (n = 12) and/or stimulation of granulation tissue/epithelialization (n = 7). Skin substitutes were very well tolerated and pain relief was immediate after application. CONCLUSIONS: Application of this novel skin substitute provides a promising new therapy for healing chronic wounds resistant to conventional therapies.
Authors: Lenie J van den Broek; Kim L Kroeze; Taco Waaijman; Melanie Breetveld; Shakun C Sampat-Sardjoepersad; Frank B Niessen; Esther Middelkoop; Rik J Scheper; Susan Gibbs Journal: Tissue Eng Part A Date: 2013-10-02 Impact factor: 3.845
Authors: Ellen H van den Bogaard; Diana Rodijk-Olthuis; Patrick A M Jansen; Ivonne M J J van Vlijmen-Willems; Piet E van Erp; Irma Joosten; Patrick L J M Zeeuwen; Joost Schalkwijk Journal: Tissue Eng Part A Date: 2012-06-05 Impact factor: 3.845
Authors: Hanneke N Monsuur; Ester M Weijers; Frank B Niessen; Amit Gefen; Pieter Koolwijk; Susan Gibbs; Lenie J van den Broek Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-11-30 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Mireille A Boink; Sanne Roffel; Melanie Breetveld; Maria Thon; Michiel S P Haasjes; Taco Waaijman; Rik J Scheper; Chantal S Blok; Susan Gibbs Journal: J Tissue Eng Regen Med Date: 2017-06-22 Impact factor: 3.963