Wounds healed with patients' skin

Rome - New systems for autologous skin grafts in less than an hour make it possible to heal difficult-to-cure wounds faster and better. "It's a revolutionary innovation in the field of plastic surgery and for the healing of complex chronic wounds, particularly for those that do not tend to heal by themselves," said Laura Piccinini, the president of Acelity, a company specializing in wound care and regenerative medicine. "The classic examples are diabetic or vascular ulcers," she added on the margins of the Make Better Summit conference taking place in Rome. Technically known as 'autologous epidermal grafting' the technology makes it easier to remove a section of patient's skin to then use in the graft, Piccinini explained.
    The current procedures commonly used for the skin grafts involve the removal of a dermal layer from a healthy part of the patient's body to cover an open wound. However, that can create a second painful wound that might lead to infection and may create scars.
    Instead, the new technology involving negative pressure, light and heat gently removes minimal flesh and promotes healing, said Piccinini.
    "The latest technology developed...is less invasive," she said. "It reduces both pain at the time and the scars later," she added. "It can also be repeated over time, if necessary...so the procedure is faster and, at the same time, less traumatic for the patient," said Piccinini.