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CC BY-NC 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2014; 41(06): 638-646
DOI: 10.5999/aps.2014.41.6.638
Original Article

Bio-Conjugated Polycaprolactone Membranes: A Novel Wound Dressing

Elijah Zhengyang Cai  
Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Erin Yiling Teo  
Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children Hospital, Singapore
,
Lim Jing
Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
,
Yun Pei Koh
Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Tan Si Qian
Centre for Biomedical Materials Applications and Technology (BIOMAT), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
,
Feng Wen
Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
,
James Wai Kit Lee
Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Eileen Chor Hoong Hing
Department of Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Yan Lin Yap
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Hanjing Lee
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Chuen Neng Lee
Department of Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Division of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Swee-Hin Teoh
Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
,
Jane Lim
Department of Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
,
Thiam Chye Lim
Department of Surgery, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Health System, Singapore
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Background The combination of polycaprolactone and hyaluronic acid creates an ideal environment for wound healing. Hyaluronic acid maintains a moist wound environment and accelerates the in-growth of granulation tissue. Polycaprolactone has excellent mechanical strength, limits inflammation and is biocompatible. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of bio-conjugated polycaprolactone membranes (BPM) as a wound dressing.

Methods 16 New Zealand white rabbits were sedated and local anaesthesia was administered. Two 3.0×3.0 cm full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsum of each rabbit, between the lowest rib and the pelvic bone. The wounds were dressed with either BPM (n=12) or Mepitel (n=12) (control), a polyamide-silicon wound dressing. These were evaluated macroscopically on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th postoperative days for granulation, re-epithelialization, infection, and wound size, and histologically for epidermal and dermal regeneration.

Results Both groups showed a comparable extent of granulation and re-epithelialization. No signs of infection were observed. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in wound size between the two groups. BPM (n=6): 8.33 cm2, 4.90 cm2, 3.12 cm2, 1.84 cm2; Mepitel (n=6): 10.29 cm2, 5.53 cm2, 3.63 cm2, 2.02 cm2; at the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th postoperative days. The extents of epidermal and dermal regeneration were comparable between the two groups.

Conclusions BPM is comparable to Mepitel as a safe and efficacious wound dressing.

Keywords

Skin - Wounds - Hyaluronic acid - Polycaprolactone - Rabbit

*These authors contributed equally to this work.


This work is funded by the Ministry of Education, Academic Research Fund (Tier 1), R265-000-343-112.


This article was presented (oral presentation) during the 3rd World Congress for Plastic Surgeons of Chinese Descent, Xi An, China on October 2012.


We would like to acknowledge the following organizations for providing the facilities and resources necessary for conducting the study: 1. Centre for Biomedical Materials Applications and Technology (BIOMAT), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 2. Osteopore International Pte Ltd, Singapore.




Publication History

Received: 29 June 2014

Accepted: 03 August 2014

Article published online:
05 May 2022

© 2014. The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, permitting unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

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