Tissue engineered fetal skin constructs for paediatric burns

Lancet. 2005 Sep;366(9488):840-2. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67107-3.

Abstract

Autologous skin-grafting is the gold standard for treatment of deep second and third degree burns. Available bioengineered skin products also necessitate this two-step surgical procedure. Therefore, we developed fetal skin constructs to improve healing of such degree burns. A bank of fetal skin cells was developed from one organ donation (4 cm2 of skin allowing the preparation of several million three-dimensional skin constructs, 9x12 cm, on native horse collagen). Successive fetal constructs were applied to eight patients at every change of dressing during 1-3 weeks in an outpatient setting. Complete closure was rapid (mean 15.3 days [SD 5.5]) with little hypertrophy of new skin and no retraction seen. This simple technique provided complete treatment without auto-grafting, showing that fetal skin cells might have great potential to treat burns and eventually acute and chronic wounds of other types.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Burns / therapy*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Fetus / cytology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Skin Transplantation*
  • Tissue Banks
  • Tissue Engineering*
  • Wound Healing