In vivo evaluation of an electrospun and 3D printed cellular delivery device for dermal wound healing

Burns and chronic wounds are especially challenging wounds to heal. In efforts to heal these wounds, physicians often use autologous skin grafts to help restore mechanical and barrier functionality to the wound area. These grafts are, by nature, limited in availability. In an effort to provide an alternative, we have developed an electrospun wound dressing designed to incorporate into the wound with the option to deliver a cellular payload. Here, a blend of poly(glycolic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol) was electrospun as part of a custom fabrication method that incorporated 3D printed poly(vinyl alcohol) sacrificial elements. This preparation is unique compared to traditional electrospinning as sacrificial elements provide an internal void space for an injectable payload to be delivered to the wound site. When the construct was tested in vivo (full thickness excisional skin wounds), wound closure was slightly delayed by the presence of the scaffold in both normal and challenged wounds. Quality of healing was improved in normal wounds as measured by histomorphometrics when treated with the construct and exhibited increased neovascularization. Our results demonstrate that the extracellular matrix-like scaffold developed in this study is beneficial to healing of full thickness skin defects and may benefit challenged wounds.