SYSTEMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF CULTURED EPITHELIAL AUTOGRAFT

This is a retrospective study of 23 consecutive patients who had biops ies taken for cultured epidermal autograft between February 1993 and S eptember 1994. Keratinocyte cultures were initialed on all of these bi opsies, Of these 23 biopsies, it was noted that the cells obtained fro m three patients grew particularly slowly or failed to grow al all. Ta king into account that the biopsy and culture conditions were standard for all patients, we investigated whether the patient's previous medi cal history may have had any effect on the ability of the cells to be cultured in vitro. Our results indicated that the keratinocyte culture s of patients with a significant past medical history, and particularl y those with underlying pathology affecting their general physical con dition, have a decreased growth rate. This raises the question that ge neral patient condition can possibly influence the clinical use of the technique.