A gel made from patients' own blood could help heal burns more quickly - and stop wounds getting worse.
The gel contains platelet-rich plasma (PRP) - a concentrated mix of substances in the blood that play a role in healing. It is made by taking a small amount of blood from a patient's arm (amounts vary depending on wound size, but typically no more than a couple of tablespoons) and then processing it in a machine that spins the blood at high speed until it separates into its various components.
Blood is largely made up of a clear yellowish liquid, called plasma, but it also contains small, solid compounds - red cells, white cells and platelets. The platelets are important for clotting, but they also contain hundreds of proteins called growth factors that are important for healing.
Spinning the blood leaves behind the plasma and the platelets but in higher concentration - up to ten times greater than usual.
Platelet-rich plasma is sometimes used to treat tendon injuries and is also used in some cosmetic procedures that claim injecting it into the face can rejuvenate skin - nicknamed the 'vampire facelift'.
U.S. researchers are testing it as a dressing for burns. As well as boosting healing, it is thought the gel, known as Magellan Bio-Bandage, will act as a barrier against infection.
The researchers also hope using platelet-rich plasma will address a common problem with burns, which is that they often continue to get worse hours or even days after the original injury.
This can mean a burn that had initially caused damage to the outer layer of skin (the epidermis) and the underlying tissue containing the hair follicles and sweat glands and smaller blood vessels (dermis) can become a 'full-thickness' burn.
This is where there is damage to the third and final layer of skin - the subcutis, which contains larger blood vessels and nerves, and regulates the temperature of the skin and body. Full-thickness burns usually require extensive treatment, including skin grafts.
It's hoped the platelet-rich plasma will allow the wound to start to heal before it can deteriorate.
The U.S. trial uses a new blood-spinning machine that is designed to be used at a patient's bedside, collecting it in a syringe ready for immediate use as a gel. Previous research suggests that the high concentration of growth factors in the platelet-rich plasma helps stimulate growth of new blood vessels and skin tissue. It's also suggested that it reduces pain, though it's not clear why.
For the latest study, at the University of Utah and other burns centres, about 40 patients will have up to 18ml of the platelet-rich plasma (about three teaspoons) applied on to a partial-thickness burn within 72 hours of the initial injury. The quantities used may vary depending on the size of the injury.
Commenting on the treatment, Dr Bav Shergill, consultant dermatologist at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, said: 'This is emerging technology that is causing a great deal of excitement. Platelet-rich plasma is already being used by orthopaedic surgeons with some amazing successes.
'We are all looking for a method to collect and purify a high concentration of these effective molecules to improve repair in skin disorders. I look forward to large-scale trials of PRP showing similar results.
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