USE OF HUMAN SKIN EQUIVALENT IN THE SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF CHRONIC VENOUS LEG ULCERS

A viable allogeneic human skin equivalent (HSE) containing both epider mal and dermal components has been developed to accelerate cutaneous w ound healing. A multicenter, prospective, randomized study of 293 pati ents with leg ulcers secondary to venous insufficiency demonstrated si gnificantly greater and faster complete healing rates by the HSE compa red with conventional treatment (P=.021 and P=.003, respectively). We present three cases from this trial. These cases suggest that HSE prom otes healing through as yet unidentified mechanism(s). In some instanc es, HSE seems to induce healing-by secondary intention, while in other s the graft seems to ''take'' with no apparent clinical rejection.