Initial Experience Using a Biosynthetic Wound Matrix for Full-Thickness Wound Temporization

Immediate autografting is a fundamental principle of acute burn care.However, not all patients can undergo early autografting and temporary dressings can seal and protect the wound bed until graft readiness.The aim was to evaluate a temporary, bilayer, biosynthetic wound matrix for wound temporization in lieu of frozen cadaveric tissue.A retrospective chart review was conducted for the first 7 patients treated with acute mixed depth and full-thickness wounds resulting from surgical excision of necrotic burn tissue and were not ready for immediate autografting.Patient demographics and outcomes reported included days from hospital presentation until biosynthetic wound matrix application, days until autograft readiness, autograft healing, and complications.Median time from arrival at the hospital to placement of the biosynthetic wound matrix was 2 days.Median time to graft readiness was 11 days (IQR 9-13) and the median time to autograft healing was 11 days (IQR 5.5-15.5).One patient developed a small hematoma, which did not affect adherence.No other complications were reported.Although a direct comparison was not made to cadaveric tissue, the biosynthetic wound matrix was easy to incorporate into practice and provided operative efficiencies.It serves as a viable alternative to cadaveric allograft, delivering similar clinical outcomes while offering the advantages of simplified storage, reduced cost, easier application, and streamlined post-operative management.Additionally, its transparency allows for direct wound assessment, further enhancing its utility in clinical practice.Our initial experience indicates it is a safe and effective option for temporizing the wound bed until grafting is feasible.