title: Combination Treatment of Artificial Dermis and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor for Skin Defects: A Histopathological Examination.
abstract: This study examined a combination of artificial dermis and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) to treat skin defects in clinical cases, and it histopathologically examined the effects on the conditions of recipient beds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 11 patients with skin defects from burn ulcers or traumatic ulcers. In each subject, debridement was performed and subsequently artificial dermis was applied to the defect. The bFGF was used on 1 side (combination therapy) of the artificial dermis and not used on the other side (artificial dermis monotherapy). A histopathological examination was performed on the granulation tissue collected from the recipient bed. The authors also measured skin hardness 6 months after the skin graft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histologically, the combination therapy site had more extensive capillary angiogenesis than the monotherapy site. The combination therapy site also had capillary walls consisting of thick, large endothelial cells; fibroblast proliferation and activation; and more severe infiltration of inflammatory cells. Skin hardness after the graft was also much softer in the combination therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest the usefulness of this combination therapy in the preparation of skin graft beds to improve skin hardness after skin grafts in clinical cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitsukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, St. Mary's Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Higaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karube
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaneshige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satoh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2