Comparison of Wound Healing Process between Burn and Skin Defect in a Porcine Model

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop porcine full thickness skin wound healing model of thermal burn and skin defect and to compare wound healing process between them. METHODS: Twelve thermal burns and 12 skin defect wounds were created on the back of 3 domestic pigs. A round shaped heated electric iron was contacted for 30 seconds to develop full thickness burn. Appropriate dressings were applied for 30 days after wounding. Full thickness skin biopsies were obtained for histologic analysis by a pathologist. The amount of wound discharge, the surface area of each wound, and wound culture results were compared between skin defect and burn wound. RESULTS: Of 12 burn wound sections, 7 (58%) were identified to full thickness dermal injury. Complete wound reepithelialization was seen between postburn days 21 and 28 in both wounds. The initial wound area was smaller in burn than skin defect (P<0.001, 14.4+/-0.8 cm2 vs 22.8+/-3.4 cm2). The wound area of both burn and skin defect was slightly increased for 9 days after wounding and rapidly decreased after that time. The linear advancement length of wound edge was significantly slower in burn (P=0.009, 1.06+/-0.28 vs 1.48+/-0.42 cm). The amount of wound discharge was greater in skin defect than burn (P=0.002, 35.1+/-8.3 vs 49.5+/-11.2 g). CONCLUSION: We developed a porcine model of both thermal burn and skin defect. Time for complete reepithelialization was similar but the linear advancement length of wound edge was slower in burn than skin defect wound.