'Critical for survival'

Amsterdam -- Combined use of an artificial skin substitute and stem cells may promote healing of difficult wounds, according to Sadanori Akita, M.D., Ph.D., senior assistant professor in the division of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Nagasaki University, Japan. "When dealing with serious wounds, such as extensive burn wounds, acceleration of wound healing is critical for survival," Dr. Akita said. "There is an unmet surgical need for better treatments for difficult wounds, especially in cases requiring resurfacing of large skin defects, and in contaminated or poorly vascularized wounds caused by irradiation or systemic diseases such as diabetics."