Amnion bilayer for dressing and graft replacement for delayed grafting of full-thickness burns; A study in a rat model

Abstract

Burn is a common case in developing countries, with over half of fire-related deaths reported in Southeast Asia and full-thickness burns as a high mortality risk. Human amnion has been used as a wound dressing for centuries. In this study, a decellularised amnion overlaid with fibrin, “amnion bilayer (AB),” was used as a dressing immediately after burn and as a graft to replace the scar in Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to full-thickness burn model. The aim was to observe whether amnion bilayer can reduce damages in third-grade burn when skin replacement is deemed impossible. The burn was induced using an electrical solder, heated for 5 mins, and contacted on the rat’s bare skin for 20 s. AB was applied as a (i) dressing immediately after induction and graft after eschar removal. Two groups (n = 6) were compared: AB and Sofra-Tulle ®, the National Hospital of Indonesia (NHI) protocol. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson trichrome stains. Immunohistochemistry labelling was used to indicate scars (α-smooth muscle actin [α-SMA] and collagen-1) and angiogenesis (von Willebrand factor). Also, the macrophages inflammatory protein-3α (MIP-3α) indicates an early inflammatory process. The post dressing of the AB group demonstrated hair follicle remains and adipose tissue development. The NHI group appeared with a denatured matrix. Complete healing was seen in the AB group after 28 days with skin appendages similar to normal, while the NHI group showed no appendages in the centre of the actively inflamed area. The α-SMA was found in both groups. Collagen-1 was highly expressed in the NHI group, which led to a scar. Angiogenesis was found more in the AB group. The AB group had shown the capacity to accelerate complete healing and recover skin appendages better than the current protocol.