Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1461328

Advancements in Bioengineered and Autologous Skin Grafting Techniques for Skin Reconstruction: A Comprehensive Review

Provisionally accepted
Jillian Dean Jillian Dean 1Cosima C. Hoch Cosima C. Hoch 2Barbara Wollenberg Barbara Wollenberg 2Anisha Mandava Anisha Mandava 1Samuel Knoedler Samuel Knoedler 3Khalil Sherwani Khalil Sherwani 3Helena Baecher Helena Baecher 3Alina Schmitz Alina Schmitz 4Michael Alfertshofer Michael Alfertshofer 4Max Heiland Max Heiland 4Kilian Kreutzer Kilian Kreutzer 4Steffen Koerdt Steffen Koerdt 4Leonard Knoedler Leonard Knoedler 4*
  • 1 School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
  • 2 Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
  • 3 Institute of Regenerative Biology and Medicine, Helmholtz Center München, Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HZ), Munich, Bavaria, Germany
  • 4 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The reconstruction of complex skin defects challenges clinical practice, with autologous skin grafts (ASGs) as the traditional choice due to their high graft take rate and patient compatibility. However, ASGs have limitations such as donor site morbidity, limited tissue availability, and the necessity for multiple surgeries in severe cases. Bioengineered skin grafts (BSGs) aim to address these drawbacks through advanced tissue engineering and biomaterial science. This study conducts a systematic review to describe the benefits and shortcomings ofcompare BSGs and ASGs across wound healing efficacy, tissue integration, immunogenicity, and functional outcomes focusing on wound re-epithelialization, graft survival, and overall aesthetic outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest ASGs show superior early results, while BSGs demonstrate comparable long-term outcomes with reduced donor site morbidity. This comparative analysis enhances understanding of bioengineered alternatives in skin reconstruction, potentially redefining best practices based on efficacy, safety, and patient-centric outcomes, highlighting the need for further innovation in bioengineered solutions.

    Keywords: Bioengineered Skin Grafts, Autologous Skin Grafting, Skin Deficits, plastic surgery, Dermatologic surgery, Human skin substitute

    Received: 08 Jul 2024; Accepted: 03 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Dean, Hoch, Wollenberg, Mandava, Knoedler, Sherwani, Baecher, Schmitz, Alfertshofer, Heiland, Kreutzer, Koerdt and Knoedler. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Leonard Knoedler, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, 13353, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.