Aseptically Processed Meshed Human Reticular Dermal Allografts Help to Facilitate Surgical Wound Closure by Providing a Scaffold in Support of Angiogenesis and Granulation Activities

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in one year, there were 48 million inpatient procedures. Furthermore, the estimated compound annual growth for surgical wounds is expected to be 3.6% until 2024. Surgical procedures involving large excisions/incisions pose a great risk for complications, especially in patients with underlying comorbidities such as obesity and smoking. Therefore, closing a surgical wound in a timely manner and ensuring that it remains closed is critical.

Aseptically processed human reticular dermal matrices (HR-ADMs) provide a natural scaffold with a favorable architecture for cell infiltration, which can aid in natural wound closure. Utilizing a pre-meshed HR-ADM is beneficial, as the graft can be expanded to cover large defects and facilitate drainage of exudate from the wound surface.

The aim of this study was to investigate cellular behavior of human dermal fibroblasts and endothelial cells in the presence of meshed HR-ADMs. Cell attachment, infiltration kinetics, and matrix deposition of cells cultured on meshed HR-ADMs were assessed using histological and confocal imaging. Depth of infiltration was observed using 3-D Render series. Results from this study demonstrate that cells infiltrate into and throughout the meshed dermal scaffold due to the uniform open architecture of the matrix. The preserved, open 3-D architecture also supports the formation of endothelial tubes and neovessels, which are indicative of angiogenesis. Over time, these cells produce new matrix proteins that can assist host cell integration and surgical wound closure.

Therefore, aseptically processed meshed HR-ADMs can provide the scaffold in support of angiogenesis and granulation activities in surgical wound sites. The structure and preserved components in the allografts can aid in natural wound closure while being compatible with negative pressure wound therapy.