Superficial wounding model for epidermal barrier repair studies: comparison of Erbium:YAG laser and the suction blister method.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

Wound-healing studies use mainly mechanical methods for wound induction, which are laborious and difficult to standardize. Objective of this study was to evaluate the Erbium:Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet (Er:YAG) laser method as a model of epidermis ablation on human skin in vivo and to compare the quality and healing rates of Er:YAG laser and suction blister (SB) wounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Er:YAG laser and SB wounds were made on the forearms of 10 healthy volunteers. Post-wounding measurements including wound surface area (WSA) from photographs, wound depth from 3D volume analysis, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), laser doppler blood flow (LDBF), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging were made daily over 7 days. Biopsies were taken on Days 4 and 7.

RESULTS:

3D analysis showed laser wounds to be shallower and more uniform in depth than SB: 54 ± 14 µm versus 140 ± 102 µm, respectively, with histology demonstrating complete epidermal removal using SB. SB wounds were more variable in size with a WSA of 0.47 ± 0.24 cm(2) compared to 1.17 ± 0.14 cm(2) for laser wounds. Healing rates were similar in both groups, as measured by TEWL, LDBF, and WSA. OCT imaging on Days 3-4 revealed new epidermis below the fibrin clot, similar to histology, and a visible stratum corneum on Day 7, but no apparent epidermal hyperplasia in contrast to histology.

CONCLUSION:

Compared to the SB model, Er:YAG laser achieved rapid standardized epidermal ablation, which despite morphological differences, was similar in terms of epidermal regeneration/barrier formation.

• Authors: Younes Ferraq, David R Black, Jennifer Theunis, Serge Mordon
• Journal: Lasers in surgery and medicine (Lasers Surg Med) Vol. 44 Issue 7 Pg. 525-32 (Sep 2012) ISSN: 1096-9101 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22865469 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Analysis of Variance
• Biopsy
• Blister (etiology, pathology, physiopathology)
• Epidermis (injuries, pathology, physiology)
• Humans
• Laser-Doppler Flowmetry
• Lasers, Solid-State
• Male
• Pilot Projects
• Skin (blood supply, injuries, pathology)
• Skin Physiological Phenomena
• Suction
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Water Loss, Insensible
• Wound Healing (physiology)
• Young Adult