Treatment of traumatic crush injury using a synthetic hybrid-scale fiber matrix in conjunction with split-thickness skin graft

Abstract

Crush injuries to the forefoot can result in prolonged treatment and disability and may necessitate amputation. Providing prompt and definitive treatment, including early debridement and wound coverage, is important for enabling favorable clinical outcomes and avoiding complications. Split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) offer a tension-free biologic barrier, but they need to be applied to an adequately-prepared wound bed (i.e. sufficient granulation tissue). A synthetic hybrid-scale fiber matrix may provide an ideal solution for promoting the formation of granulation tissue and preparing the wound bed for application of a STSG while eliminating the risks associated with biologic products. This case report investigated the use of the synthetic hybrid-scale fiber matrix as a foundation to STSG to treat an acute traumatic crush injury. Three weeks after the synthetic matrix was applied to the wound resulting from the crush injury, the wound bed was deemed to be well-granulated over the tissue void and adequately prepared for a STSG. A STSG was applied to the wound site, and after another 3 weeks (6 weeks post-application of the synthetic hybrid-scale fiber matrix), 100% take of the STSG was observed, indicating successful treatment outcome of the traumatic crush injury. The positive clinical results seen in this report suggest that the synthetic hybrid-scale fiber matrix may offer a new treatment option for acute trauma wounds as a foundation for STSGs.

Keywords

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