Abstract Burn injuries often require advanced treatments to optimize healing, yet the comparative effectiveness of autologous skin cell suspension (ASCS) across wound types remains unclear. While ASCS shows promise in enhancing wound healing, its relative efficacy in burn versus non-burn wounds is not well understood. This study evaluates ASCS outcomes in burn and non-burn patients, hypothesizing that ASCS is equally effective in promoting healing across both wound types. This retrospective cohort study analyzed 100 patients with full-thickness injuries treated with ASCS, comparing burn (n=28) and non-burn (n=72) groups. Outcomes included wound closure at 4 and 8 weeks, complication rates, age, length of stay, time from ASCS application to discharge, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Mangled Extremity Severity Score, wound size, estimated blood loss, case time, operating room time, and follow-up duration. Statistical significance was set at p 0.05, using T tests and Chi-square analysis. At 4 weeks, wound closure was comparable at 78.6% (22/28) for burns and 75% (54/72) for non-burns. By 8 weeks, closure reached 100% (28/28) for burns and 93% (67/72) for non-burns. Complication rates were 25% in both groups. Follow-up averaged 64.24 days for burns and 89.54 days for non-burns. No significant differences were found in wound closure or complications, supporting the hypothesis. These findings suggest that ASCS is a versatile and valuable addition to burn treatment protocols, offering promising results irrespective of injury etiology. The results can inform clinical guidelines and protocols, enabling confident application of ASCS beyond burns to optimize patient outcomes.
Shegos et al. (Tue,) studied this question.