Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 8.4
Contraction was ruled out in this study of excision of skin from one side of the rabbit ear. Original drawing and photos are reproduced here.
Left
:
Schematic of surgical model, showing the circular defect generated with a biopsy instrument in the rabbit ear, leading to excision down to the cartilage layer
and monitored with a calibrated lens micrometer.
EG
epithelial gap,
GTG
granulation tissue gap,
MH
maximum height of granulation tissue. Photos a-c: Tat-
too marks were placed at the wound periphery on day 0 to detect contraction.
Arrows
(barely visible in photos) demarcated the original borders of the 6-mm-
diameter wound.
C
cartilage,
E
new epithelium,
G
new granulation tissue.
a
Day 0.
b
Partially healed, Day 7. No contraction.
c
Fully healed, day 14. Authors
reported wound closure by new epithelium and new granulation tissue. They concluded that, following excision of a circular skin wound, the wound borders
did not contract (photos by permission of Dr. Mustoe) (Mustoe et al. 1991)
