The effect of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold thickness on dermal regeneration in a one-stage grafting procedure.
Dermal substitutes are used as dermal regeneration templates to reduce scar formation and improve wound healing. Unlike autografts, dermal substitutes lack normal vascular networks. The increased distance required for diffusion of oxygen and nutrients to the autograft following interpositioning of the substitute dramatically affects graft survival. To evaluate the effect of collagen-chitosan scaffold thickness on dermal regeneration, single-layer collagen-chitosan porous scaffolds of 0.5-, 1- and 2-mm thicknesses were fabricated and used to treat full-thickness wounds in a one-stage grafting procedure in a rat model. Skin-graft viability, wound contraction, histological changes, and wound tensile strength were evaluated. The results indicated that the distance for the diffusion of oxygen and nutrients to the autograft in the 2-mm-thick scaffold provided less support for graft take, which resulted in graft necrosis, extensive inflammatory reaction, marked foreign-body reaction (FBR), rapid scaffold degradation, and abnormal collagen deposition and remodeling. In contrast, the thinner scaffolds, especially of that 0.5-mm thickness, promoted earlier angiogenesis, ensuring skin-graft viability with a mild FBR, and ordered fibroblast infiltration and better collagen remodeling. It can be concluded that collagen-chitosan porous scaffolds with a thickness of <1mm are more suitable for dermal regeneration and can be used as dermal templates for treatment of dermal defects using a one-stage grafting procedure.
Department of Hand Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China.
Shi
S
Haifei
Wang
W
Xingang
Wu
W
Shoucheng
Mao
M
Zhengwei
You
Y
Chuangang
Han
H
Chunmao
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000737:chemistry*; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014022:Tissue Survival / Q000187:drug effects
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D024042:Collagen Type I; D048271:Chitosan
Dermal substitute; Regeneration; Wound healing