Conformal Sealant for Burn Wound Repair

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Deep partial thickness burns involve the deeper layers of the dermis, and usually do not heal for at least 2 to 3 weeks. This often results in significant scarring and contractures, especially in children. There is no established standard treatment for deep partial thickness burns. In general, they may be covered with an occlusive dressing or a topical antimicrobial (e.g., Silvadene or bacitracin) cream and an absorptive dressing; evidently, these are all applied on an ad hoc basis and none of them promotes healing. The unmet challenge of burn treatment is to devise a remedy that prevents infection, speeds healing and reduces scarring. In this project, we will formulate a formable/conformable antibacterial tissue sealant dressing specific for treating burn wounds. In parallel, we will validate the lack of cytotoxicity potential of each tissue sealant formulation using model cell types that the hydrogel will most likely be in close contact upon deployment, to be followed by in vivo biocompatibility testing. The anti-bacterial activities will also be tested, to be followed by an in vivo efficacy validation study in porcine dermal burns. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Burns are one of the most common causes of injury in all age groups. The primary goals of acute burn wound management are prevention of infection and the promotion of optimal wound closure by re-epithelialization to minimize aesthetic and functional impairment. Deep partial thickness burns involve the deeper layers of the dermis, and usually do not heal for at least 2 to 3 weeks. This often results in significant scarring and contractures, especially in children. There is no established standard treatment for deep partial thickness burns. In general, these burns may be covered with an occlusive dressing or a topical antimicrobial (e.g., Silvadene or bacitracin) cream and an absorptive dressing; evidently, these are all applied on an ad hoc basis and none of them promotes healing. The unmet challenge of burn treatment is to devise a remedy that prevents infection, speeds healing and reduces scarring. It is our intention to develop an antibacterial tissue sealant capable of sealing the burn wound, preventing infection, accelerating wound healing and reducing scarring.