[Development of selective acellular porcine skin and its preliminary clinical application on burn wounds].

Objective: To develop a new kind of skin substitute, selective acellular porcine skin, to cover excised wounds in treatment of extensive deep burns on the basis of controlled de-cell technique.

Methods: Partial thickness porcine skin was treated with 0.25% trypsin for 2 hours at 37 degrees C after crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, and then it was glued to a container with the edge embedded with glue. The skin was shaken in 0.5% SDS for 24 hours, and then washed before use. The selective acellular skin was used with micro-autografts on the dermal side to cover 2 surgically excised burn wounds in a patient. The recoveries of function and appearance were observed.

Results: Morphological observation showed that the treated porcine skin had an intact epithelial layer and an acellular dermis. After being used to cover burn wounds, its acellular dermis could serve as host dermal matrix, and its devitalized epithelial layer could prevent the dermis from drying. The devitalized epithelium was finally replaced by host epithelial cells, and the healed wounds could achieve good cosmetic and functional results.

Conclusion: Selective acellular porcine skin can be used as promising skin substitute to cover excised wounds.