INJECTABLE COLLAGEN MATRIX FOR SOFT TISSUE AUGMENTATION

TYPE I COLLAGEN HAS BEEN USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDICAL APPLICATIONS. THE MOST SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF TYPE I COLLAGEN HAS BEEN THE SUBDERMAL IMPLANTATION OF SOLUBLE COLLAGEN FOR THE REPAIR OF DERMATOLOGICAL DEFECTS AND THE REPAIR OF FULL THICKNESS WOUNDS. HOWEVER, THE DERMATOLOGICAL REPAIR WITH COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOLUBLE COLLAGEN HAS BEEN REPORTED AS TEMPORARY, LASTING AT MOST 18 MONTHS; REGULAR REAPPLICATION OF SOLUBLE COLLAGEN IS NECESSARY TO RETAIN THE AUGMENTATION. IN THIS PROPOSAL, A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS DESIGNED TO TEST THE USE OF AN INJECTABLE COLLAGEN MATRIX BEAD, COMBINED WITH HYALURONIC ACID, FOR USE IN SOFT TISSUE REPAIR. A COLLAGEN MATRIX WITHHYALURONIC ACID HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE THE RATE OF HEALING ON FULL THICKNESS WOUNDS, AND ENHANCE INGROWTH OF FIBROBLASTS. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT A MATRIX FORM OF TYPE I COLLAGEN, USED AS AN INJECTABLE, WILL ENHANCE FIBROBLAST GROWTH AND PROLIFERATION AT THE REPAIR SITE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO PERMANENT REPAIR. A METHOD TO FORMULATE COLLAGEN MATRIX BEADS WITH HYALURONIC ACID IS OUTLINED; THE IN VITRO CELLULAR RESPONSE TO THE COLLAGENHYALURONIC ACID MATRIX BEADS WILL BE INVESTIGATED, USING CULTURED FIBROBLASTS TO MEASURE THE RATE OF CELLULAR GROWTH. THE INJECTABLE COLLAGEN MATRIX CAN BE USED FOR MANY SOFT TISSUE REPAIR APPLICATIONS, SUCH AS TREATMENT OF DECUBITUS ULCERS.