Scaffold surgery

A breakthrough in understanding cell behaviour and a newly-developed, dissolvable scaffold for growing new areas of skin could provide a safer, more effective way of treating burns, diabetic ulcers and other severe skin injuries.

The ultra-fine, 3D scaffold, which is made from specially-developed polymers derived from polylactic acid, resembles tissue paper but has fibres 100 times finer.

Before being placed on the wound, via a biopsy, the patient's skin cells are introduced and attach themselves to the scaffold, multiplying until they eventually grow over it. This is then placed over the wound and after six to eight weeks the scaffold dissolves, leaving the skin cells behind.

Fibre mats

The process used to make the scaffold is based on a technique called electrospinning, which produces polymer fibres down to nano-scale by applying an electric field. However, the team has developed a new method of making aligned-fibre 'mats' from the same biodegradable polymers. These promote the growth of nerves, tendons and cartilage.