Objective: To investigate the practicability of a spongy collagen membrane as a dermal substitute.
Methods: Porcine skin collagen was harvested and mixed and precipitated with chondroitin-6-sulfate, and then lyophilized for 48 hours to form sheets of highly porous membrane. The collagen membrane was embedded subcutaneously in SD rat's skin. The histological compatibility, the vascularization degree and degradation status were determined periodically by means of tissue sampling.
Results: The collagen membrane possessed some degree of strength and tenacity with a structure consisting of multidinous interconnecting pores. It was easy to manipulate. Experimental subcutaneous embedding in SD rats indicated that the membrane exhibited good tissue compatibility, strong tendency to vascularization, with no evidence of acute inflammatory reaction, and slow degradation rate.
Conclusion: Spongy collagen membrane might be an optimal dermal substitute for wound coverage.