The Application of MatriDerm in Soft Tissue Defects with Bone Exposure

Abstract

Background Treatment of patients with post-traumatic severe and chronic wounds poses many challenges. A large number of dermal analogs have been invented in an effort to overcome these challenges. Matriderm, a biosynthetic dermal analog, is made from bovine collagen and elastin. The aim of our study was to prove the effectiveness of MatriDerm® combined with skin grafting versus skin grafting alone in these difficult-to-heal wounds. Material and Methods:  Twenty-two patients with post-traumatic defects with bone exposure and chronic wounds treated in the Clinic of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery of the University Hospital “St. George” were included in this prospective study. The mean age of the patients was 58 years. The patients were divided into two groups: the experimental and the control group. The patients in the experimental group received a Matriderm appliance and a split-thickness skin graft, while those in the control group received only a split-thickness skin graft. All patients gave their informed consent to participate in the study. Results: The hospitalization period in the experimental group was 3 weeks and 5 days and in the control group 8 weeks. The period of complete healing was shorter in the experimental group patients (5 weeks) compared with control group patients (9 weeks) with a difference reaching statistical significance (P<0.05). Matriderm enables effective healing and improves elasticity in the treatment of patients with post-traumatic severe and chronic wounds. Conclusions: With our study, we confirm the evidence of the clinical use of MatriDerm® technology in the healing of soft tissue wounds and prove the effectiveness of combining MatriDerm® and skin grafting for the first time. Moreover, we observed a reduction in wound contraction and an improvement in elasticity, quality of scar tissue, and dermal architecture.