When Policy Topic is covered Breast reconstructive surgery using allogeneic acellular dermal matrix products* (i.e., AlloDerm®, AlloMaxTM, DermaMatrixTM, FlexHD®, GraftJacket®) may be considered medically necessary,  when there is insufficient tissue expander or implant coverage by the pectoralis major muscle and additional coverage is required,  when there is viable but compromised or thin p...

Cultured epidermal keratinocytes provide an abundant supply of biologic material for wound treatment. Because restoration of barrier function is a definitive criterion for efficacy of wound closure and depends on the lipids present in the epidermis, we analyzed lipid composition of the epidermis in cultured skin substitutes in vitro and after grafting to athymic mice. The cultured skin substitu...

Cultured skin substitutes have become therapeutic alternatives for treatment of acute and chronic skin wounds, but all models of these substitutes are avascular and susceptible to microbial destruction during vascularization. To develop a practical management protocol for increased survival of skin substitutes, experimental wounds were contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and treated with a...

Chronic wounds, including diabetic and venous ulcers, represent disruption of normal healing processes resulting in a pathological state of nonhealing cutaneous inflammation. They place an increasingly significant economic burden on healthcare providers as their prevalence is rising in keeping with an aging population. Current treatment modalities are slow acting and resource intensive. Bioengi...

BACKGROUND Dermal skin substitutes have become a standard of care in burn treatment. OBJECTIVE To compare and assess wound contracture reduction and histologic incorporation into the wound, dermal substitutes were implanted into full-thickness skin wounds in nude mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-seven mice received a full-thickness 2 x 2 cm dorsal skin wound, and were either implanted wit...

Artificial skin or skin equivalents have been used for clinical purpose to skin graft and as substitutes for animal experiments. The culture of cell lines such as HaCaT has the potential to produce large amounts of artificial skin at a low cost. However, there is a limit to keratinization due to the restriction of differentiation in HaCaT. In this study, a culture device that mimics the in vivo...

A variety of skin substitutes are used in the treatment of full-thickness burns. Substitutes made from skin can harbor latent viruses, and artificial skin grafts can heal with extensive scarring, failing to regenerate structures such as glands, nerves, and hair follicles. Biodegradable and biocompatible hydrogels, however, rarely mimic the strength of the epidermis. Therefore, novel and practic...

Angiogenesis is one of the important hallmarks of psoriasis. The extension of the superficial microvascular structure and activated pro-angiogenic mediators in psoriasis seem to be important factors involved in the pathology. According to the changes of superficial microvasculature in psoriatic lesions, anti-angiogenic treatment could be a promising therapeutic strategy for psoriasis. The aim o...