Journal
ANNALS OF SURGERY
Volume 254, Issue 2, Pages 217-225Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0b013e318220b159
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Funding
- Wallace H. Coulter Translational Partners Grant
- United States Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine grant (DOD) [W81XWA0-08-2-0032]
- Hagey Family Endowed Fund in Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine
- Oak Foundation
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Objective: To test the hypothesis that the mechanical environment of cutaneous wounds can control scar formation. Background: Mechanical forces have been recognized to modulate myriad biologic processes, but the role of physical force in scar formation remains unclear. Furthermore, the therapeutic benefits of offloading cutaneous wounds with a device have not been rigorously tested. Methods: A mechanomodulating polymer device was utilized to manipulate the mechanical environment of closed cutaneous wounds in red Duroc swine. After 8 weeks, wounds subjected to different mechanical stress states underwent immunohistochemical analysis for fibrotic markers. In a phase I clinical study, 9 human patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery were treated postoperatively with a stress-shielding polymer on one side whereas the other side was treated as standard of care. Professional photographs were taken between 8 and 12 months postsurgery and evaluated using a visual analog scale by lay and professional panels. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00766727. Results: Stress shielding of swine incisions reduced histologic scar area by 6- and 9-fold compared to control and elevated stress states, respectively (P < 0.01 for both) and dramatically decreased the histologic expression of profibrotic markers. Closure of high-tension wounds induced human-like scar formation in the red Duroc, a phenotype effectively mitigated with stress shielding of wounds. In the study on humans, stress shielding of abdominal incisions significantly improved scar appearance (P = 0.004) compared with within-patient controls. Conclusions: These results indicate that mechanical manipulation of the wound environment with a dynamic stress-shielding polymer device can significantly reduce scar formation.
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