Decrease in rate of wound contraction with the temporary skin substitute biobrane.

In burn patients normal wound healing contraction may lead to contracture deformity requiring secondary reconstruction. Full-thickness skin grafts are observed to inhibit both contraction and myofibroblasts by an unknown mechanism. The temporary synthetic skin substitute Biobrane has become an acceptable alternative to cadaver allografts for many burn and reconstruction wounds. We have postulated that this synthetic membrane might also share the ability to inhibit wound contraction. By comparing open and Biobrane closed wounds in 20 rats, we have demonstrated a significant (p less than 0.005) difference in wound size during the time that the Biobrane is adherent to the wound. Linear regression curves are used to express the rate of contraction and demonstrate a threefold decrease. Alternative mechanisms for this inhibition are postulated, including mechanical stenting versus direct inhibition of contractile myofibroblasts.