DRY, MOIST, AND WET SKIN WOUND REPAIR

Effects of wet (saline in a vinyl chamber), moist (hydrocolloid dressi ng), and dry (sterile gauze dressing) environments on wound repair wer e studied in a porcine partial-thickness wound model. Chambers were ex changed and refilled daily with normal saline containing penicillin G (100 U/ml) and streptomycin (100 mu g/ml). Hydrocolloid and gauze dres sings were kept in place until biopsy of the wound site. Wounds in wet , moist, and dry environments were completely epithelialized on days 6 , 7, and 8, respectively, Thickness of the epidermis in wet, moist, an d dry wounds was 204 +/- 23, 141 +/- 12, and 129 +/- 18 (mean +/- SEM) , respectively, Moist wounds had more subepidermal inflammatory cells than wet wounds. In comparison to dry wounds, the moist or the wet hea ling environment resulted in less necrosis and faster and better quali ty of healing in the formation of the newly regenerated epidermis.