500-Gray γ-Irradiation May Increase Adhesion Strength of Lyophilized Cadaveric Split-Thickness Skin Graft to Wound Bed.
BACKGROUND
Human cadaveric skin grafts are considered as the "gold standard" for temporary wound coverage because they provide a more conductive environment for natural wound healing. Lyophilization, packing, and terminal sterilization with gamma-ray can facilitate the application of cadaveric split-thickness skin grafts, but may alter the adhesion properties of the grafts. In a pilot study, we found that 500 Gy γ-irradiation seemed not to reduce the adherence between the grafts and wound beds.


OBJECTIVE
We conducted this experiment to compare the adherences of lyophilized, 500-Gy γ-irradiated skin grafts to that of lyophilized, nonirradiated grafts.


METHODS
Pairs of wounds were created over the backs of Sprague- Dawley rats. Pairs of "lyophilized, 500-Gy γ-irradiated" and "lyophilized, nonirradiated" cadaveric split-thickness skin grafts were fixed to the wound beds. Adhesion strength between the grafts and the wound beds was measured and compared.


RESULTS
On post-skin-graft day 7 and day 10, the adhesion strength of γ-irradiated grafts was greater than that of the nonirradiated grafts.


CONCLUSIONS
Because lyophilized cadaveric skin grafts can be vascularized and the collagen of its dermal component can be remodeled after grafting, the superior adhesion strength of 500-Gy γ-irradiated grafts can be explained by the collagen changes from irradiation.
From the *Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan; and †Department of Plastic Surgery, Wan Fang Municipal Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lin-Gwei
LG
Wei
Chieh-Feng
CF
Chen
Chi-Hsien
CH
Wang
Ya-Chen
YC
Cheng
Chun-Chang
CC
Li
Wen-Kuan
WK
Chiu
Hsian-Jenn
HJ
Wang
D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*; D058106:Wound Closure Techniques