A basic fibroblast growth factor improved the quality of skin grafting in burn patients

Akita, Sadanori; Akino, Kozo; Imaizumi, Toshifumi; Hirano, Akiyoshi

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2005.04.008

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Volume 31, Issue 7 , Pages 855-858, November 2005

A basic fibroblast growth factor improved the quality of skin grafting in burn patients

Sadanori Akita
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Developmetal and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical and Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto machi, Nagasaki 8528501, Japan
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +81 95 849 7327; fax: +81 95 849 7330.
Kozo Akino
- Division of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Department of Developmental and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical and Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto machi, Nagasaki 8528501, Japan
Toshifumi Imaizumi
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Developmetal and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical and Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto machi, Nagasaki 8528501, Japan
Akiyoshi Hirano
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Developmetal and Reconstructive Medicine, Nagasaki University, Graduate School of Biomedical and Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto machi, Nagasaki 8528501, Japan

Accepted 5 April 2005.

Abstract

To avoid hypertrophic scars in burn wounds, the simultaneous application of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) with regular surgical debridement and skin grafting was investigated for skin hardness by clinical examination and instrumental measurement. As little is known about the role of bFGF in wounds, burn wound scars were tested for hardness. Burn scars in various anatomical locations at least 1 year after final wound healing clinically demonstrated a significantly lower hard score in bFGF-treated wounds than in non-bFGF wounds (0.95±0.51 versus 2.3±0.66, respectively, p<0.01). In addition, a durometer, which is widely used in industry to measure materials similar to skin, such as rubber and thread-balls, demonstrated a significantly lower reading in bFGF-treated wounds than in non-bFGF wounds (7.9±3.64 versus 15.5±4.39, bFGF versus non-bFGF, respectively, p<0.01). The results demonstrated that burn wounds treated with clinically approved bFGF might contribute to a better cutaneous wound quality, at least in terms of hardness.