The Impressive Healing Power of Autologous Fibroblasts Isolated from Early Cultures of Skin Biopsies for the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Preliminary Results Regarding 2 Cases

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether we can quickly, effectively, and with relatively low cost, heal long-standing (>8 months) diabetic foot ulcers using autologous skin fibroblasts. Place and Duration of Study: Immunology & National Histocompatibility Department and 2nd Department of Surgery, ‘G. Gennimatas’ General Hospital, ‘Demetrios Voyatzoglou’ Diabetic Foot Clinic, ‘A. Fleming’ General Hospital, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece, between June 2011 and May 2012. Study Design and Methodology: Early, autologous skin fibroblasts arisen in large numbers from small split-thickness skin biopsies, cultured in high concentration of fetal bovine serum, and dispersed in patients΄ own serum, were injected subcutaneously into the surrounding healthy tissue of uninfected diabetic foot ulcers of two type 2 diabetic patients without peripheral angiopathy. Results: There was complete healing in 11 and 27 weeks in patients 1 & 2, respectively. The early cultured fibroblasts showed impressive healing power for diabetic foot ulcers. On the contrary, the power of the prolonged cultured fibroblast diminished steadily, while the fibroblasts undergone the freezing-thawing procedure were not effective. Conclusion: The healing was complete, quick, safe, permanent, without scars or hyperkeratosis, and relatively inexpensive.