'Spray-on skin' helps heal leg ulcers

Crashbang · 08-02-2012, 11:55 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19093302
2 August 2012 Last updated at 20:39 ET'Spray-on skin' helps heal leg ulcers

By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News Related Stories

A "spray-on skin" which coats a wound with a layer of skin cells could help healing, according to US and Canadian researchers.
The spray was tested on 228 people with leg ulcers, which are painful open wounds that can last for months.
The findings, published in the Lancet, showed that ulcers treated with the spray were more likely to heal and did so more quickly.
Experts said faster healing could save money despite the cost of the spray.
Leg ulcers are hard to treat. The best treatment, compression bandages, will heal only about 70% of ulcers after six months. Other options include taking skin from somewhere else on the body and grafting it over the wound.
Instead the spray puts a coating of donated skin cells and blood-clotting proteins over the ulcer.
In the study, patients who were given the spray-on-skin every 14 days showed the most improvement.
The researchers said the size of the wound "began to decrease rapidly" as soon as the treatment started. In the patients who had the spray, 70% were healed after three months compared with 46% who received other treatment.
The spray was developed by Healthpoint Biotherapeutics in the US, which also funded the research.
Vast improvement One of the scientists involved, Dr Herbert Slade, said: "The treatment we tested in this study has the potential to vastly improve recovery times and overall recovery from leg ulcers, without the need for a skin graft.
"This means not only that the patient doesn't acquire a new wound where the graft is taken from, but also that the spray-on solution can be available as soon as required - skin grafts take a certain amount of time to prepare, which exposes the patient to further discomfort and risk of infection."
The study largely tested the safety of the spray and the best dose to use, further studies will decide if it is a practical treatment for leg ulcers.
Leg ulcers are most commonly caused by high blood pressure in the veins of the legs which damage the skin, causing it to break down and develop into an open wound.
Irene Anderson, a lecturer in leg ulcer theory at the University of Hertfordshire, said: "A dressing or other application may have a positive effect on the wound for a period of time but ultimately if the underlying condition is not managed the leg will break down again.
"We do know that leg ulcers are becoming increasingly complex and when using the range of treatments available there needs to be clear evidence that there will be a beneficial effect to ensure cost effectiveness and to make sure that patients are not given false expectations of a cure."
Commenting on the study, Prof Matthias Augustin from the University Medical Centre in Hamburg, Germany, said compression would be the main treatment for some time.
"The temporary higher costs for additional cell and tissue-engineered therapy can be justified as an investment in improved healing," he added.

smokey · 08-03-2012, 02:09 PM

Breaking news; http://www.myfoxal.com/story/1918802...orn-leg-ulcers

Maybe this will be helpful someday.

Scott C4/5 · 08-03-2012, 02:32 PM

I just read this myself and was about to post it. I wonder if something like this would aid in shallow stage 2 pressure ulcers. I'd be willing to give it a try. Anyone (Wise/SCI nurses) here able to hook me up with some?

Adrian · 08-05-2012, 07:33 AM

Quote:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19093302
A "spray-on skin" which coats a wound with a layer of skin cells could help healing, according to US and Canadian researchers.
The spray was tested on 228 people with leg ulcers, which are painful open wounds that can last for months.
The findings, published in the Lancet, showed that ulcers treated with the spray were more likely to heal and did so more quickly

I wonder how relevant this will be to treating pressure sores?

Crashbang · 08-05-2012, 11:28 AM

yes, i was also wondering if this might work for pressure sores.
maybe someone with more knowledge about these two types of
skin sores will enlighten us.
it would be especially good news if this leads to a new treatment for both.

08-02-2012, 11:55 PM	#1
Crashbang Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 288	'Spray-on skin' helps heal leg ulcers http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19093302 2 August 2012 Last updated at 20:39 ET'Spray-on skin' helps heal leg ulcers By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News Related Stories Spray-on cells treat severe burns New treatment 'heals' leg ulcers Laughing 'helps healing process' A "spray-on skin" which coats a wound with a layer of skin cells could help healing, according to US and Canadian researchers. The spray was tested on 228 people with leg ulcers, which are painful open wounds that can last for months. The findings, published in the Lancet, showed that ulcers treated with the spray were more likely to heal and did so more quickly. Experts said faster healing could save money despite the cost of the spray. Leg ulcers are hard to treat. The best treatment, compression bandages, will heal only about 70% of ulcers after six months. Other options include taking skin from somewhere else on the body and grafting it over the wound. Instead the spray puts a coating of donated skin cells and blood-clotting proteins over the ulcer. In the study, patients who were given the spray-on-skin every 14 days showed the most improvement. The researchers said the size of the wound "began to decrease rapidly" as soon as the treatment started. In the patients who had the spray, 70% were healed after three months compared with 46% who received other treatment. The spray was developed by Healthpoint Biotherapeutics in the US, which also funded the research. Vast improvement One of the scientists involved, Dr Herbert Slade, said: "The treatment we tested in this study has the potential to vastly improve recovery times and overall recovery from leg ulcers, without the need for a skin graft. "This means not only that the patient doesn't acquire a new wound where the graft is taken from, but also that the spray-on solution can be available as soon as required - skin grafts take a certain amount of time to prepare, which exposes the patient to further discomfort and risk of infection." The study largely tested the safety of the spray and the best dose to use, further studies will decide if it is a practical treatment for leg ulcers. Leg ulcers are most commonly caused by high blood pressure in the veins of the legs which damage the skin, causing it to break down and develop into an open wound. Irene Anderson, a lecturer in leg ulcer theory at the University of Hertfordshire, said: "A dressing or other application may have a positive effect on the wound for a period of time but ultimately if the underlying condition is not managed the leg will break down again. "We do know that leg ulcers are becoming increasingly complex and when using the range of treatments available there needs to be clear evidence that there will be a beneficial effect to ensure cost effectiveness and to make sure that patients are not given false expectations of a cure." Commenting on the study, Prof Matthias Augustin from the University Medical Centre in Hamburg, Germany, said compression would be the main treatment for some time. "The temporary higher costs for additional cell and tissue-engineered therapy can be justified as an investment in improved healing," he added.

08-03-2012, 02:09 PM	#2
smokey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 1,867	Leg Ulcers Anyone? Breaking news; http://www.myfoxal.com/story/1918802...orn-leg-ulcers Maybe this will be helpful someday.

08-03-2012, 02:32 PM	#3
Scott C4/5 Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: A "Red" state... much to my chagrin. Posts: 952	I just read this myself and was about to post it. I wonder if something like this would aid in shallow stage 2 pressure ulcers. I'd be willing to give it a try. Anyone (Wise/SCI nurses) here able to hook me up with some? __________________ I don't want my thoughts to die with me, I want to have done something... I still want my life to have meaning. ~ Temple Grandin

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08-05-2012, 11:28 AM	#5
Crashbang Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 288	yes, i was also wondering if this might work for pressure sores. maybe someone with more knowledge about these two types of skin sores will enlighten us. it would be especially good news if this leads to a new treatment for both.