We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
ARAB HEALTH - INFORMA

Download Mobile App




Epidermal Autograft Harvester Aids Chronic Wound Recovery

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 14 Feb 2017
Print article
Image: The CelluTome Epidermal Harvesting System (Photo courtesy of Acelity).
Image: The CelluTome Epidermal Harvesting System (Photo courtesy of Acelity).
A new skin-graft harvesting system aids in the treatment of chronic wounds and reduces care costs by accelerating the healing process.

The Acelity CelluTome Epidermal Harvesting System offers a minimally invasive epidermal grafting technique that creates minimal donor site damage and scarring, provides increased expansion ratios, and can be performed easily and in a relatively pain-free manner in the outpatient setting. The resultant epidermal graft can help to reduce healing time in both chronic and small acute wounds, with a potentially significant impact on the overall cost of chronic wound care.

The device works by creating multiple suction-induced epidermal blisters between two stainless steel plates with an array of 1.75-mm holes by using a constant negative pressure of 400-500 mmHg at a temperature of 37° to 41° C. The suction blisters develop inside the disposable harvester, with more than 128 blisters created over an area of 25 cm2 of donor skin. An integrated cutter blade is then used to separate the blisters, which are peeled away with a transparent dressing and applied over the recipient site.

In a study conducted at the University of Missouri Healthcare System that involved 13 patients with various types of chronic wounds, the CelluTome Epidermal Harvesting System grafts resulted in healing rates of 62%; eight of the 13 patients healed within four months, two were lost to follow-up, and three had wounds that remained open. In fact, four of the patients healed in less than one month. In addition, the comparatively rapid closure of the open wounds also reduced health care costs by an average of USD 1,153 per patient.

“Chronic wounds occur when healing fails to progress normally and persists for more than 30 days. Current treatments such as moist dressings, frequent irrigations, and wound cleaning are not always enough to ensure that healing occurs in high-risk patients,” said lead author Jeffrey Litt, DO. “Although a skin graft can be used to close a wound that refuses to heal, the surgical technique usually is painful, time-consuming and leaves significant donor site wounds.”

There are two types of skin grafts; a full thickness skin graft that consists of the epidermis and the entire thickness of the dermis, and a split-thickness skin graft that includes the epidermis and part of the dermis. Split-thickness grafts are frequently used as they can cover large areas and the rate of auto-rejection is low. The donor site heals by re-epithelialization from the dermis and surrounding skin and requires dressings.

Gold Member
12-Channel ECG
CM1200B
Gold Member
STI Test
Vivalytic Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Array
New
Fetal and Maternal Monitor
F9 Series
New
Digital Radiographic System
OMNERA 300M

Print article

Channels

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: (Left) An image of a 3D-printed material implanted in vivo for 4 weeks. (Right) A photo of coral (Photo courtesy of Dr Zhidao Xia and Jesus Cobaleda)

Revolutionary Coral-Inspired Material for Bone Repair Promotes Faster Healing

Bone defects caused by fractures, tumors, and non-healing injuries are major contributors to disability worldwide. Traditionally, doctors have used either a patient’s own bone (autograft) or donor bone... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The portable biosensor platform uses printed electrochemical sensors for the rapid, selective detection of Staphylococcus aureus (Photo courtesy of AIMPLAS)

Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections

Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The acoustic pipette uses sound waves to test for biomarkers in blood (Photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

Handheld, Sound-Based Diagnostic System Delivers Bedside Blood Test Results in An Hour

Patients who go to a doctor for a blood test often have to contend with a needle and syringe, followed by a long wait—sometimes hours or even days—for lab results. Scientists have been working hard to... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.