Treatment of a Full-Thickness Burn Injury With NovoSorb Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix and RECELL Autologous Skin Cell Suspension: A Case Series

Limited debridement combined with ReCell® Techniques for deep second-degree burns

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this article is to introduce a method that combines limited debridement and ReCell® autologous cell regeneration techniques for the treatment of deep second-degree burn wounds.

METHOD

A total of 20 patients suffered with deep second-degree burns less than 10% of total body surface area (TBSA) who were admitted to our department, from June 2019 to June 2021, participated in this study. These patients first underwent limited debridement with an electric/pneumatic dermatome, followed by the ReCell® technique for secondary wounds. Routine treatment was applied to prevent scarring after the wound healed. Clinical outcomes were scored using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS).

RESULTS

All wounds of the patients healed completely. One patient developed an infection in the skin graft area and finally recovered by routine dressing changes. The average healing time was 12 days (range: 10-15 days). The new skin in the treated area was soft and matched the colour of the surrounding normal skin and the VSS score ranged from 3~5 for each patient. Of the 20 patients, 19 were very satisfied and 1 was satisfied.

CONCLUSIONS

This article reports a useful treatment method that combines electric dermatome-dependent limited debridement and the ReCell® technique for the treatment of deep second-degree burn wounds. It is a feasible and effective strategy that is easy to implement and minimally invasive, and it is associated with a short healing time, mild scar formation and little damage to the donor skin area.

Treatment of Necrotizing Fasciitis With NovoSorb Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix and RECELL Autologous Skin Cell Suspension: A Case Series

This case series reviews the management of 2 patients who developed a rare, aggressive soft tissue infection, necrotizing fasciitis treated with a synthetic polyurethane dermal regenerative template, Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix (NovoSorb BTM) in conjunction with an off-label use of RECELL device applying autologous skin cell suspension and a split-thickness skin graft for reconstruction. The clinical relevance describes a non-traditional patient's course of treatment and clinical outcome using BTM and RECELL for necrotizing fasciitis. The 2 patients survived with acceptable outcomes and timely healing despite a high chance of mortality and likely amputation secondary to the extensive surface area and anatomical location of the infection.

Design matters: A comparison of natural versus synthetic skin substitutes across benchtop and porcine wound healing metrics: An experimental study

Background and Aims

Skin substitutes, essential tools for helping close full thickness wounds with minimal scarring, are available in both collagen-based and synthetic polyurethane constructions. Here we explore fundamental differences between two frequently used skin substitutes and discuss how these differences may impact in vivo performance.

Methods

Polyurethane- and collagen-based matrices were characterized in vitro for pore size via scanning electron microscopy, hydrophobicity via liquid contact angle, conformability via bending angle, and biocompatibility via fibroblast and keratinocyte adhesion and proliferation. These matrices were then evaluated in a full-thickness excisional pig wound study followed by histological analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using t-tests or one-way analysis of variances with Tukey's multiple post hoc comparisons, where appropriate.

Results

Average pore diameter in the tested polyurethane matrix was over four times larger than that of the collagen matrix (589 ± 297 µm vs. 132 ± 91 µm). Through liquid contact angle measurement, the collagen matrix (not measurable) was found to be hydrophilic compared to the hydrophobic polyurethane matrix (>90°). The collagen matrix was significantly more conformable than the polyurethane matrix (9 ± 2° vs. 84 ± 5° bending angle, respectively). Fibroblast and keratinocyte adhesion and proliferation assays elucidated a significantly greater ability of both cell types to attach and proliferate on collagen versus polyurethane. While the porcine study showed minimal contraction of either matrix material, histological findings between the two treatments were markedly different. Collagen matrices were associated with early fibroblast infiltration and fibroplasia, whereas polyurethane matrices elicited a strong multinucleated giant cell response and produced a network of comparatively aligned collagen fibrils.

Conclusions

The more favorable in vitro properties of the collagen matrix led to less inflammation and better overall tissue response in vivo. Overall, our findings demonstrate how the choice of biomaterial and its design directly translate to differing in vivo mechanisms of action and overall tissue quality.

Biodegradable temporising matrix: use of negative pressure wound therapy shows a significantly higher success rate

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this case series was to evaluate the efficacy of a synthetic biodegradable temporising matrix (BTM; PolyNovo Biomaterials Pty Ltd, Australia) and compare the outcome of BTM patients with and without negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).

METHOD

A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients admitted with deep full-thickness burns, traumatic or complex wound injuries treated with BTM. Electronic medical records and images were evaluated by a team of clinical professionals. Endpoints included: the measure of successful BTM integration; and comparison between patients treated with and without NPWT. Additional measures were BTM total surface area, BTM sites, timeliness of BTM application and any complications.

RESULTS

A total of 28 patients were evaluated and 23 (82.1%) demonstrated overall successful BTM integration. Patients treated with BTM in conjunction with NPWT (n=16) demonstrated a significantly higher (p=0.046) integration rate compared to patients treated without NPWT (n=12) (93.8% versus 58.3%, respectively). Patients treated with BTM with NPWT continued to successfully integrate and sustain favourable outcomes despite the presence of severe infection or the development of haematomas.

CONCLUSION

A significantly higher integration rate was demonstrated when BTM was used in conjunction with NPWT. The results of this study further support the efficacy of successful integration of BTM as a replacement for tissue loss in the treatment of deep, full-thickness burns, traumatic and complex wound injuries, and particularly favourable outcomes with the use of NPWT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case series comparing the clinical outcomes of BTM with and without the use of NPWT.

Surgical Repair of the Acute Burn Wound: Who, When, What Techniques? What Is the Future?

Modern burns surgery is multidisciplinary, multimodal and includes a dermal preservation approach. The management of the surgical wound starts in the pre-hospital environment with stabilization and assessment of the burn injured patient according to protocols of trauma resuscitation with special emphasis in the assessment of the burn depth and surface area. A large burn requires fluid resuscitation and physiological support, including counterbalancing hyper metabolism, fighting infection and starting a long burns intensive care journey. A deep burn may impose the need for surgical debridement and cover through a staged approach of excision of devitalized tissue depending on its extension and patient circumstances. These methodologies warrant patients survivability and require professionals integrated in a multidisciplinary team sharing decisions and directing management. Burns Multimodality involves multiple techniques used according to patient's needs, wound environment, operators experience and available resources. Traditional practices used together with new techniques may reduce morbidity and operative time but also challenge stablished practice. The concept of using the best teams with the best techniques combines with the need for selective and judicious surgery that preserves tissue architecture and spares as much as possible dermal component, therefore reducing the possibility of functional impairment and cosmetic embarrassment caused by pathological scars. Who is best placed to perform these tasks, the appropriate or best timing of surgery and the different practices used to achieve best results will be discussed, together with a reflection on what the future holds for these fundamental steps in the management of the burn injured patient turning into a functional burn survivor.

Use of Dermal Regenerative Templates for Burns

Autologous skin grafting has permitted survival and restoration of function in burn injuries of ever larger total body surface area (TBSA) sizes. However, the goal of replacing "like with like" skin structures is often impossible because full-thickness donor harvesting requires primary closure at the donor site for it to heal. Split-thickness skin grafting (STSG), on the other hand, only harvests part of the dermis at the donor site, allowing it to re-epithelialize on its own. The development of the first dermal regenerative template (DRT) in the late 1970s represented a major advance in tissue engineering that addresses the issue of insufficient dermal replacement when STSGs are applied to the full-thickness defect. This review aims to provide an overview of currently available DRTs in burn management from a clinician's perspective. It focuses on the main strengths and pitfalls of each product and provides clinical pearls based on clinical experience and evidence.

Treatment of Complex Wounds with NovoSorb® Biodegradable Temporising Matrix (BTM)-A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Outcomes

Complex and chronic wounds represent a highly prevalent condition worldwide that requires a multimodal and interdisciplinary treatment approach to achieve good functional and aesthetic outcomes. Due to increasing costs of health care, an aging population and an increase in difficult-to-treat microbial colonization of wounds, complex wounds will become a substantial clinical, social and economic challenge in the upcoming years. In plastic reconstructive surgery, a variety of dermal skin substitutes have been established for clinical use. Since its approval as a dermal skin substitute in Germany, NovoSorb^® Biodegradable Temporising Matrix (BTM) has become a valuable therapeutic option for the treatment of full-thickness wound defects. The clinical data published to date are limited to case reports and small-scale case series with the main focus on single wounds. The aim of this single-center study was a retrospective analysis of our own patient collective that has received treatment with BTM for complex wounds. Overall, BTM showed to be a reliable and versatile reconstructive option, especially for patients with multiple co-morbidities and microbiologically colonized wounds. Although the preliminary findings have produced promising results, further investigation and research are warranted regarding long-term outcomes and additional clinical applications.

Synergistic Use of Novel Technological Advances in Burn Care Significantly Reduces Hospital Length of Stay Below Predicted: A Case Series

Length of stay is an important metric in healthcare systems, primarily because it reflects the cost of care provided. In the US, as in many countries, inpatient hospital stays are significantly more expensive than outpatient care across all healthcare conditions [1], so earlier discharge and transition to outpatient care is crucial to help control the ever-increasing cost of healthcare. In burn patients, length of stay has traditionally been estimated at 1 day per 1% total body surface area of burn. This estimation was first described in a round table discussion in 1986.[2] However, since that time there has been significant evolution in the quality of care available to burn patients, in both the operating room and ICU. The use of new harvesting techniques, synthetic dermal substitution, and autologous epidermal skin cell suspension are allowing large, deep burns to be excised and covered in much quicker time frames than historically were possible. Examples include the skin harvesting and wound debridement device for grafting and excision, biodegradable temporizing matrix as a fully synthetic dermal template, and regenerative epidermal suspension concerning cell harvesting. Although these modalities can all be used separately, we believe that using them in conjunction has allowed us to shorten the length of stay in patients with severe partial and full-thickness burns. We present an initial case series of 3 patients with anticipated hospital lengths of stay of 54.5, 55, and 51 days, who were ready for discharge in 37, 35, and 43 days, respectively.

Management strategies for perioperative anaemia in the severely burn-injured Jehovah’s Witness patients who decline a blood transfusion: A systematic review with illustrative case reports

BACKGROUND

The management of severe burn-injured Jehovah's Witness patients who decline a blood transfusion poses unique challenges. The literature is scant for guiding perioperative anaemia management in these patients. We present a systematic review of this patient group, along with illustrative, consecutive case reports of our experience.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed on Embase, MEDLINE and PubMed databases on articles discussing the treatment of burn-injured Jehovah's Witness patients. Articles were excluded if discussing isolated inhalation injury, or if blood transfusions were permitted.

RESULTS

Nine articles including a total of 11 patients revealed consistent themes. A multimodal medical and surgical approach is suggested. Medical strategies are directed at reducing blood loss and optimising haematopoiesis and include rationalising blood collection, reversing coagulopathy, administering tranexamic acid and regular erythropoietin. Surgical strategies include staged aggressive debridement, tumescent adrenaline infiltration and limb tourniquets. We found that the argon beam coagulator was an effective haemostatic adjunct not previously described in literature.

DISCUSSION

Management of anaemia in severely burn-injured Jehovah's Witness patients is challenging. This systematic review presents a summary of strategies directed at minimising blood loss, and optimising haematopoiesis. Careful preoperative planning, meticulous surgical technique, and postoperative physiological support are caveats to success.

Reactive oxygen species-degradable polythioketal urethane foam dressings to promote porcine skin wound repair

Porous, resorbable biomaterials can serve as temporary scaffolds that support cell infiltration, tissue formation, and remodeling of nonhealing skin wounds. Synthetic biomaterials are less expensive to manufacture than biologic dressings and can achieve a broader range of physiochemical properties, but opportunities remain to tailor these materials for ideal host immune and regenerative responses. Polyesters are a well-established class of synthetic biomaterials; however, acidic degradation products released by their hydrolysis can cause poorly controlled autocatalytic degradation. Here, we systemically explored reactive oxygen species (ROS)-degradable polythioketal (PTK) urethane (UR) foams with varied hydrophilicity for skin wound healing. The most hydrophilic PTK-UR variant, with seven ethylene glycol (EG7) repeats flanking each side of a thioketal bond, exhibited the highest ROS reactivity and promoted optimal tissue infiltration, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and reepithelialization in porcine skin wounds. EG7 induced lower foreign body response, greater recruitment of regenerative immune cell populations, and resolution of type 1 inflammation compared to more hydrophobic PTK-UR scaffolds. Porcine wounds treated with EG7 PTK-UR foams had greater ECM production, vascularization, and resolution of proinflammatory immune cells compared to polyester UR foam-based NovoSorb Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix (BTM)-treated wounds and greater early vascular perfusion and similar wound resurfacing relative to clinical gold standard Integra Bilayer Wound Matrix (BWM). In a porcine ischemic flap excisional wound model, EG7 PTK-UR treatment led to higher wound healing scores driven by lower inflammation and higher reepithelialization compared to NovoSorb BTM. PTK-UR foams warrant further investigation as synthetic biomaterials for wound healing applications.

The Current Challenges on Spray-Based Cell Delivery to the Skin Wounds

Cell delivery through spray instruments is a promising and effective method in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It is used for treating different acute and chronic wounds, including burns with different etiologies, chronic diabetic or venous wounds, postcancer surgery, and hypopigmentation disorders. Cell spray can decrease the needed donor site area compared with conventional autologous skin grafting. Keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells are promising cell sources for cell spray procedures. Different spray instruments are designed and utilized to deliver the cells to the intended skin area. In an efficient spray instrument, cell viability and wound coverage are two determining parameters influenced by various physical and biological factors such as air pressure, spraying distance, viscosity of suspension, stiffness of the wound surface, and velocity of impact. Besides, to improve cell delivery by spray instruments, some matrices and growth factors can be added to cell suspensions. This review focuses on the different types of cells and spray instruments used in cell delivery procedures. It also discusses physical and biological parameters associated with cell viability and wound coverage in spray instruments. Moreover, the recent advances in codelivery of cells with biological glues and growth factors, as well as clinical translation of cell spraying, have been reviewed. Impact statement Skin wounds are a group of prevalent injuries that can lead to life-threatening complexities. As a focus of interest, stem cell therapy and spray-based cell delivery have effectively decreased associated morbidity and mortality. This review summarizes a broad scope of recent evidence related to spray-based cell therapy, instruments, and approaches adopted to make the process more efficient in treating skin wounds. An overview including utilized cell types, clinical cases, and current challenges is also provided.

Implementation and Validation of Free Flaps in Acute and Reconstructive Burn Care

Microsurgical free flap reconstruction in acute burn care offers the option of reconstructing even challenging defects in a single stage procedure. Due to altered rheological and hemodynamic conditions in severely burned patients, it bears the risk of a higher complication rate compared to microsurgical reconstruction in other patients. To avoid failure, appropriate indications for free flap reconstruction should be reviewed thoroughly. Several aspects concerning timing of the procedure, individual flap choice, selection and preparation of the recipient vessels, and perioperative measures must be considered. Respecting these specific conditions, a low complication rate, comparable to those seen in microsurgical reconstruction of other traumatic limb defects, can be observed. Hence, the free flap procedure in acute burn care is a relatively safe and reliable tool in the armamentarium of acute burn surgery. In reconstructive burn care, microsurgical tissue transfer is routinely used to treat scar contractures. Due to the more robust perioperative condition of patients, even lower rates of complication are seen in microsurgical reconstruction.

Reconstruction of Chronic Wounds Secondary to Injectable Drug Use with a Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix

Injectable drug use in the upper extremity often leads to chronic wounds complicated by osteomyelitis. Conventional reconstructive options are often not feasible and/or are contraindicated in this patient population. We have started using a synthetic, biodegradable temporizing matrix (BTM) for the treatment of these patients. We hypothesize that BTM is a safe, low-risk, and low-morbidity alternative reconstructive option. We report outcomes after staged debridement and BTM application followed by split-thickness skin grafting for two patients with large, chronic bilateral forearm wounds with concomitant osteomyelitis confirmed by MRI and biopsy. No acute surgical complications were encountered and at a mean follow-up of 13 months, both patients had maintained stable soft-tissue coverage. Reconstruction using BTM is a novel treatment option that can simplify the reconstruction, reduce donor-site morbidity, and optimize success for patients with chronic wounds resulting from injectable drug use. Initial outcomes are promising; however, further comparative studies are needed to better evaluate long-term outcomes of this technique.

Contemporary Aspects of Burn Care

The past one hundred years have seen tremendous improvements in burn care, allowing for decreased morbidity and mortality of this pathology. The more prominent advancements occurred in the period spanning 1930-1980; notably burn resuscitation, early tangential excision, and use of topical antibiotic dressings; and are well documented in burn literature. This article explores the advancements of the past 40 years and the areas of burn management that are presently topics of active discussion and research.

Lessons Learned From Two Survivors of Greater Than 90% TBSA Full-Thickness Burn Injuries Using NovoSorb Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix™ and Autologous Skin Cell Suspension, RECELL™: A Case Series

Since autologous split-thickness skin grafts are scarce and lab skin growth requires a significant amount of time, there are limited available treatment approaches for patients with full-thickness burns greater than 90% TBSA. Additionally, to achieve the primary goal of skin coverage and resuscitation, there must exist a balance between fluid loss and metabolic derangement. Allografts and xenografts have traditionally been used early in the process to achieve these goals. Currently, novel approaches to treatment consider the additional use of synthetic dermal substitutes and autologous skin cell suspension to improve outcomes. This case series describes the treatment course of patients with greater than 90% TBSA full-thickness burn injuries using a staged, multifaceted approach of using NovoSorb Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix™ as the primary dermal substitute in conjunction with a RECELL™ Autologous Cell Suspensions Device applied with autograft and allograft to achieve improved resuscitation, limiting fluid loss, and finally skin coverage. Allograft and NovoSorb Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix™ were used early to cover excised burns, resulting in improved metabolic control by limiting the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and fluid loss. Both patients survived using this approach.