‘Spray-on skin’ boosts healing of leg ulcers

Published on 03/08/2012 00:00

A “SPRAY-ON skin” developed by scientists could greatly 
improve recovery from chronic leg ulcers, research suggests.

The treatment consists of skin cells suspended in blood-clotting proteins which are sprayed on the wound.

In a study of 228 patients with venous leg ulcers, it accelerated healing and improved the chances of wound closure.

Those receiving the most 
effective dosage were 52 per cent more likely to see their ulcer clear up after three months than untreated patients.

They also experienced a 16 per cent greater reduction in wound area after seven days. In addition, the treatment helped wounds to close 21 days earlier. Dr Herbert Slade, one of the study authors from Healthpoint Biotherapeutics in Fort Worth, Texas, US, said: “The treatment we tested in this study has the potential to vastly improve recovery times and overall recovery from leg 
ulcers without the need for a skin graft.”

Venous leg ulcers, the most common type of leg ulcer, affect about one in 500 people in the UK.

The wounds develop when high blood pressure in the veins of the legs damages the skin, causing it to break down.

People with restricted movement, obese individuals and those with varicose veins all face a greater risk of developing 
venous leg ulcers.