Outcome of Burns Treated With Autologous Cultured Proliferating Epidermal Cells: A Prospective Randomized Multicenter Intrapatient Comparative Trial.

Standard treatment for large burns is transplantation with meshed split skin autografts (SSGs). A disadvantage of this treatment is that healing is accompanied by scar formation. Application of autologous epidermal cells (keratinocytes and melanocytes) may be a suitable therapeutic alternative, since this may enhance wound closure and improve scar quality. A prospective, multicenter randomized clinical trial was performed in 40 adult patients with acute full thickness burns. On two comparable wound areas, conventional treatment with SSGs was compared to an experimental treatment consisting of SSGs in combination with cultured autologous epidermal cells (ECs) seeded in a collagen carrier. The primary outcome measure was wound closure after 5–7 days. Secondary outcomes were safety aspects and scar quality measured by graft take, scar score (POSAS), skin colorimeter (DermaSpectrometer®) and elasticity (Cutometer®). Wound epithelialization after 5–7 days was significantly better for the experimental treatment...