OBJECTIVETo provide experimental evidence for the feasibility of repair of deep partial thickness burn wounds with autologous skin grafting on retained denatured dermis.

METHODSDeep partial thickness burn wounds 3.5 cm x 3.5 cm in size were produced on the back of SD rats. Superficial tangential excision was performed on the burn wounds on 2 - 5 postburn days with the preservation of denatured dermis. Split thickness autoskin was grafted on the wounds immediately. Tissue samples of whole layer of the skin were harvested from the grafted sites at different time points after the skin grafting, with 8 rats in each group. The morphology and the changes in the collagen fibres in the above tissue samples were observed by light microscopy (LM) and the changes in the biodynamics were determined. The normal skin from the same rat receiving skin grafting was employed as the control.

RESULTS(1) Vitreous degeneration was observed in the preserved denatured dermis. (2) The grafted skin was fused to the burn wound on the 7th day after autoskin grafting in rats. The dermal papillae and reticular layer could be discernible under LM. The thickness, structure and morphology of the skin on the grafted area were similar to normal tissue on the 21st day after grafting with atrophic hair follicles. The density of collagen fiber cord increased gradually, and almost fused at last. (3) The tensile strength, and maximum strain value of the rat skin after operation increased gradually, approaching normal on 60 post-operational day.

CONCLUSIONThe denatured dermis can recover gradually with normal structure and morphology after the application of autoskin on it for the repair of deep partial thickness burn wounds.