title: In vivo evaluation of an ultra-thin polycaprolactone film as a wound dressing.
abstract: The use of ultra-thin films as dressings for cutaneous wounds could prove advantageous in terms of better conformity to wound topography and improved vapour transmission. For this purpose, ultra-thin poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films of 5-15 microm thickness were fabricated via a biaxial stretching technique. To evaluate their in vivo biocompatibility and feasibility as an external wound dressing, PCL films were applied over full and partial-thickness wounds in rat and pig models. Different groups of PCL films were used: untreated, NaOH-treated, untreated with fibrin, NaOH-treated with perforations, and NaOH-treated with fibrin and S-nitrosoglutathione. Wounds with no external dressings were used as controls. Wound contraction rate, histology and biomechanical analyses were carried out. Wounds re-epithelialized completely at a comparable rate. Formation of a neo-dermal layer and re-epithelialization were observed in all the wounds. A lower level of fibrosis was observed when PCL films were used, compared to the control wounds. Ultimate tensile strength of the regenerated tissue in rats reached 50-60% of that in native rat skin. Results indicated that biaxially-stretched PCL films did not induce inflammatory reactions when used in vivo as a wound dressing and supported the normal wound healing process in full and partial-thickness wounds.
authors: Department of Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576.
authors: Kee Woei
authors: KW
authors: Ng
authors: Hosur N
authors: HN
authors: Achuth
authors: Shabbir
authors: S
authors: Moochhala
authors: Thiam Chye
authors: TC
authors: Lim
authors: Dietmar W
authors: DW
authors: Hutmacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D023421:Models, Animal; D009779:Occlusive Dressings / Q000009:adverse effects; D011091:Polyesters / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries*; D013552:Swine; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone