Comment on “Topically Applied Connective Tissue Growth Factor/CCN2 Improves Diabetic Preclinical Cutaneous Wound Healing: Potential Role for CTGF in Human Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing”

A recent paper in this journal, presented a novel method by topical application of growth factors in stimulating diabetic cutaneous wound healing that caught our attention. We believe that the experimental method in the article is efficient and creative, but it also has some controversies and shortcomings to be discussed. We noted that the authors used "Tegaderm" as a semiocclusive dressing film and stated that it exerted a "splinting effect" on the wound margins and controlled contraction. Indeed, the "Tegaderm" itself can serve as a dressing film to isolate the wound bed with outside environments while the "splinting effect" is mainly achieved by adding silicone splints around the wound. Considering the unique properties of silicone splints and "Tegaderm," our experimental group propose an alternative method named "combined-suturing" technique that is not only suturing the silicone splints but also securing the "Tegaderm" around the wound. The specific reasons and operative procedures are explained in detail in this letter.