A basic fibroblast growth factor improves lower extremity wound healing with a porcine-derived skin substitute.
BACKGROUND
Although a number of cytokine or growth factor therapies for wound acceleration have been reported, few mentioned the quality of the outcome. The lower extremity is important in esthetics as well as in function, because it is exposed. Recently, a growth factor, namely basic growth factor (bFGF) is widely used for difficult wound healing with a porcine-derived bilayered artificial dermis for better wound closure. Thus, their combination use was tested clinically.


METHODS
Sequential lower extremity reconstruction by an artificial dermis with or without bFGF administration and secondary split-thickness skin grafting was measured for hardness using a durometer, and the moisture parameters assessed such as effective contact coefficient, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), water content and thickness using a moisture meter for at least 6 months after the final procedure and compared with normal skin control.


RESULTS
There was significantly less skin hardness using a durometer in bFGF treatment compared with non-bFGF treatment (16.2 +/- 3.83 vs. 29.2 +/- 4.94, p < 0.01). Effective contact coefficient, TEWL, water content, and thickness in non-bFGF treatment were all significantly greater than those in bFGF treatment, whereas water content and thickness in bFGF treatment were comparable with those of the control.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of bFGF as artificial dermis for extensive and deeper tissue loss coverage demonstrated better reconstruction quality in terms of hardness using a durometer and the function of the stratum corneum by moisture analysis.
Akita
Sadanori
S
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical and Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. akitas@hf.rim.or.jp
Akino
Kozo
K
Tanaka
Katsumi
K
Anraku
Kuniaki
K
Hirano
Akiyoshi
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D013552:Swine; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2