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MATRIDERM®

MATRIDERM® - Because injuries can penetrate beneath the skin

Accidents that cause severe burns or other kind of injuries to the skin can affect anyone. Often the skin can be damaged down to the deep layers of the dermis or even deeper; these wounds require autologous skin grafting to achieve proper wound healing.

Principally there are two different kind of skin grafts available:

Full Thickness Skin Graft or
Split Thickness Skin Graft

Both procedures have their advantages, but also limitations.
Therefor, especially for larger defects, there is a need for improvement concerning wound healing.

MATRIDERM® was developed as a three dimensional matrix consisting of collagen and elastin, comparable to the structure of human dermis.
MATRIDERM® will guide autologous cells for the construction of a "neo-dermis". In order to achieve results comparable to the results obtained with a full thickness skin graft, the matrix is covered with a thin split thickness skin graft.

Right hand: The hand treated with a split thickness skin graft and MATRIDERM®. Result 1 year after a severe full thickness burn to the hand.
Left hand: The hand without injury.
(Kamolz, Haslik, Frey; Plast. Chirur. 2007)

The stretch test demonstrates good elasticity of the dorsum of the hand (hand, which has been covered by a split skin graft and with MATRIDERM®).

The Advantages

Simultaneous use of MATRIDERM® and split thickness skin grafting in a single step procedure
The reconstructed skin is more elastic and more comparable to normal skin than a single split thickness skin graft
Complete integration of MATRIDERM® → complete replacement due to autologous cells→ guided reconstruction of autologous dermal structures. Provision of the two most important structure proteins of the skin - collagen and elastin
Visible reduction in the development of scar formation

What are the limitations of current surgical standards?

The Full Thickness Skin Graft (Epidermis and Dermis):

Provides best skin quality, but
Creates a full thickness wound (donor site), which will require primary closure →
Can only be used for small wounds

Due to the lack of full thickness skin graft donor sides, especially in larger defects there is a need for split thickness skin grafts.

The Split Skin Graft (Epidermis and only small parts of the dermis):

Covers larger areas, but
Often tends to shrink and
Often leads to contractions and scar formation

By the the use of a dermatome, a special kind of harvesting device, a very thin slice of the skin is harvested for transplantation. Using this method, larger defects can be covered. The donor site wound is comparable to an abrasion and usually heals without any kind of complications. These skin grafts do not provide similar reconstruction of the dermis as a full thickness skin graft does, especially if they are expanded (meshed). Nonetheless, for large wounds, split thickness skin grafts are still considered to be the gold standard.

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