In this study, the effects of the
wound-covering materials,
Acticoat(®) and Cutinova Hydro(®) , on wound healing have been studied in rabbit models with open and tissue-lost
wounds with full-thickness flank excisions. Rabbits were used as subjects with three groups of four rabbits each, and trial periods of 7, 14 and 21{\uns}days. Four circular
wounds, of 1.5 cm diameter were made two on the right (one of them control) and two on the left (one of them control) of the dorsal sides of the abdomen.
Acticoat(®) and Cutinova Hydro(®) were applied on the
wounds with
suture for a period of 21 days and one each placed on the right and left sides as control with gauze. Biopsy specimens were taken from the animals at the end of the research period to check the length of the epithelium, epithelial thickness, size of
wounds,
wound granulation tissue formation and histopathological evaluation for clarity. The
Acticoat(®) group showed better healing and
scar formation compared to the Cutinova Hydro(®) group by macroscopic examination. Epithelial
wound length and clarity in terms of statistical difference occurred on day 21 (P <0.05); while the length of the
wound epithelium decreased patency, epithelial thickness on days~7, 14 and 21, showed no statistical differences (P >0.05). As a result, the
Acticoat(®)
wound dressing was determined as a more reliable for the early wound healing. This study has shown the short-term clinical benefits of hydroactive,
polyurethane dressings in the management of acute
wounds. However, longer periods of wound healing procedure should be planned for reliable and safe results of
wound dressing. It has also been concluded that microbiological analyses should be included for more robust and reliable comparisons.