An autologous epidermal equivalent tissue-engineered from follicular outer root sheath keratinocytes is as effective as split-thickness skin autograft in recalcitrant vascular leg ulcers.

The outer root sheath of hair follicles plays an important role in epidermal regeneration in vivo. Keratinocytes isolated by explantation of outer root sheath tissue have extensive proliferative capacity irrespective of donor age, which probably depends on pluripotent epithelial stem cells residing in the outer root sheath. These keratinocytes can be organotypically grown to epidermal equivalents in vitro.

Biosurgery supports granulation and debridement in chronic wounds--clinical data and remittance spectroscopy measurement.

Background: Maggot therapy (biosurgery) has received increasing interest for the debridement of chronic wounds and for the improvement of wound healing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects, side-effects, and possible mechanisms of action of biosurgery.

Methods: Biosurgery was used for debridement in 30 patients with chronic leg ulcers of mixed origin.