Abstract
The ideal dressing material is bio-inert and
keeps the wound site moist. It is equally important
that no regenerative tissue is peeled off on the
removal of the dressing. 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl
phosphorylcholine (MPC) has a phospholipid
polar group that mimics a biomembrane. We prepared
poly [MPC-co-n-dodecyl methacrylate
(DMA)] (PMD), using conventional radical polymerization
with 2,2’-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator,
and coated it on polyurethane (PU;
Tecoflex® 60 Thermedics Inc.) membrane. Fullthickness
surgical wounds were made on the dorsal
skin of rats and wound healing was compared
under the following three conditions: air-exposed
control (no dressing), PU dressing, and PMD
dressing. At 3, 4 and 7 days after the operation, the
wound sizes of the PMD dressings were smaller
than the non-dressed wound, and at 6 and 7 days
after the operation, the wound sizes of PU dressing
were smaller than that of the air-exposed group.
But there were no significant difference between
the PMD dressing group and PU dressing group.
Histologically, scab formation was not observed on
the PU or PMD-dressed wounds. However, in the
air-exposed control, a scab was formed and reepithelialization
of the wound site was prevented.
Additionally, no damage was observed in the histological
section of PMD dressed wound after the
wound was cured. These results indicate that
PMD dressing (PMD-coated PU membrane) has
the potential to provide an inert environment for
wound healing as well as PU.
