title: Effect of recombinant human epidermal growth factor impregnated chitosan film on hemostasis and healing of blood vessels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bleeding can be a problem in wound debridement. In search for an effective hemostatic agent, we experimented with a chitosan film combined with the recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rh-EGF), hypothesizing that it would achieve effective hemostasis and simultaneously enhance arterial healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were used, and 96 puncture wounds were made. The wounds were divided into the following four groups: treated with sterile gauze, treated with gelatin sponge, treated with chitosan, and treated with chitosan combined with rh-EGF. Immediate hemostasis was evaluated, and arterial healing was observed histologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Groups B, C, and D showed a significant rate of immediate hemostasis as compared to group A (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences among groups B, C, and D. Histologically, only group D showed good continuity of the vessel wall after 1 week. It was the only group to show smooth muscle cell nuclei of the vessel wall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that chitosan has an effective hemostatic potential and the mix of rh-EGF and chitosan does not interfere with chitosan's hemostatic capabilities. We also identified enhanced healing of vessel walls when rh-EGF was added to chitosan. Further research based on these positive findings is needed to evaluate the potential use of this combination on difficult wounds like chronic diabetic ulcerations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sangshin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Inwook
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Gangneung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Korea.
authors.forename: Seongcheol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Pio
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hong
keywords: Chitosan; Epidermal growth factor; Hemostasis