J Trauma
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Cultured skin substitutes reduce requirements for harvesting of skin autograft for closure of excised, full-thickness burns.
Rapid and effective closure of full-thickness burn wounds remains a limiting factor in burns of greater than 50% of the total body surface area (TBSA). Hypothetically, cultured skin substitutes (CSS) consisting of autologous cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts attached to collagen-based sponges may reduce requirements for donor skin, and morbidity from autograft harvesting and widely-meshed skin grafts. ⋯ These results demonstrate that CSS reduce requirements for donor skin harvesting for grafting of excised, full-thickness burns of greater than 50% TBSA with qualitative outcome that is comparable to meshed AG. Availability of CSS for treatment of extensive, deep burns may reduce time to wound closure, morbidity, and mortality in this patient population.