Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by extreme fragility of the skin and mucosa. Patients develop recurrent blisters brought on by the physical trauma and friction of daily living. These blisters are subject to rupture resulting in open non-healing wounds which are prone to infection and scarring. Depending on the specific classification, prognosis ranges from the occasional presence of blisters which have little effect on the quality of life to widespread systemic involvement which can be fatal. At present there are no cures or optimal treatments for any form of Epidermolysis Bullosa. A major issue with management of epidermolysis bullosa patients is treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds. In most cases, these wounds do not heal when treated with standard care (antibiotic ointments, non-stick bandages) and they pose major risks for systemic infection or development of squamous cell carcinomas. This protocol investigates the safety and efficacy of a composite cultured skin graft for treatment of non-healing wounds in relationship to standard care or a control graft (acellular collagen sponge).
Showing the most recent 10 out of 461 publications