RANDOMIZED TRIAL COMPARING CRYOPRESERVED CULTURED EPIDERMAL ALLOGRAFTS WITH HYDROCOLLOID DRESSINGS IN HEALING CHRONIC VENOUS ULCERS

Background. Cultured epidermal allografts have been successfully used to treat a variety of wounds. Their postulated mechanism of action is through release of cytokines that stimulate epithelialization. On the basis of previous experience we expected ulcers treated with cryoprese rved cultured allografts (CCAs) to be healed by 6 weeks. Hydrocolloid dressings (HCDs) have also been reported to be effective in the treatm ent of venous ulcers. Objective. Our purpose was to compare the effect iveness of CCAs with HCDs in healing chronic venous ulcers. Methods. F orty-three patients with 47 ulcers were enrolled in a randomized contr olled trial. Ulcers not healed by 6 weeks were changed to the other tr eatment. Results: No difference in the number of healed ulcers between the two groups was observed at 6.weeks. Healing rate, percent reducti on of initial ulcer size, and radial progression toward wound closure were significantly greater for CCAs than for HCDs. Pain relief was not significantly different. Conclusion: CCAs achieve more rapid healing and greater reduction in ulcer size than HCDs.