Comparison of a Fully Synthetic Electrospun Matrix to a Bi-Layered Xenograft in Healing Full Thickness Cutaneous Wounds in a Porcine Model

A fully synthetic electrospun matrix was compared to a bi-layered xenograft in the healing of full thickness cutaneous wounds in Yucatan miniature swine. Full thickness wounds were created along the dorsum, to which these matrices were applied. The wound area was measured over the course of healing and wound tissue was scored for evidence of inflammation and healing. Animals were sacrificed at Day 15 and Day 30 and tissue samples from the wound site were harvested for histopathological analysis to evaluate inflammation and tissue healing as evidenced by granulation tissue, collagen maturation, vascularization, and epithelialization. Average wound area was significantly smaller for treatment group wounds compared to control group wounds at 15 and 30 days ([7.7 cm2 ± 0.9]/[3.8 cm2 ± 0.8]) and ([2.9 cm2 ± 1.1]/[0.2 cm2 ± 0.0]) (control/treatment) (p = 0.002/p = 0.01). Histopathological analysis of wound sections revealed superior quality of healing with treatment group wounds, as measured by inflammatory response, granulation tissue, and re-epithelialization. A fully synthetic electrospun matrix was associated with faster rates of wound closure characterized by granulation tissue, deposition of mature collagen and vascularization at earlier time points than in wounds treated with a bi-layered xenograft. Treatment with this fully synthetic material may represent a new standard of care by facilitating full-thickness wound closure while eliminating the risks of inflammatory response and disease transmission associated with biologic modalities.