Effects of the combined use of a dermal substitute with a cleansing process in the simulation of autologous skin: a pilot study

Abstract

Historically, in severe trauma, such as extensive burns and large loss of substance of the soft tissues, increased emphasis is given to the survival of the traumatized person and less attention is placed on the recovery of the actual traumatized organ. Today, recovery of complete functionality of the injured part and the possibility of minimizing scars in order to make them as acceptable and invisible as possible are also important. The present study analyzed morphologically the events occurring in the wounds of patients in which a dermal substitute was used in combination with a cleansing process. Pre-treatment of the lesion by cleansing followed by the application of a biomaterial showed that in the tissue that forms, a reduced number of cells are present, the collagen is more undulating with interstitial spaces, and Langerhans cells are evident. In addition, these cells participate in the growth and turnover of keratinocytes. The mediating role of these elements would also be strongly dependent on the components of the extracellular matrix of the dermis.

Keywords: Dermal substitute; Langerhans cells; TEM; keratinocytes.