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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
A Simplified Technique for Producing an Ischemic Wound Model
Published on: May 2, 2012
Transdermal sustained-delivery oxygen improves epithelial healing in a rabbit ear wound model
Hakim K Said1, John Hijjawi, Nakshatra Roy
1Wound Healing Research Lab, Division of Plastic Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 675 North St. Clair, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Hypothesis:
Transdermal sustained-delivery oxygen therapy improves wound healing.
Design:
Experimental study using a well-established rabbit ear model for acute wound healing.
Setting:
Wound-healing research laboratory in a university center.
Methods:
Four full-thickness 7-mm punch wounds were created on each ear of young, female New Zealand white rabbits. Treated ears received transdermal sustained delivery of oxygen via silicone tubing tunneled subcutaneously to a pocket under a semiocclusive dressing. Oxygen production (100% oxygen at 3 mL/h continuously) relied on a small, self-contained device connected to the silicone tubing and secured to the rabbit's back for the duration of the experiment using a body harness. Ears were harvested at each of 2 time points: day 5 and day 8.
Results:
Histologic analysis of the wounds showed significantly greater healing at both day 5 and day 8 in response to oxygen therapy. Most significantly, epithelial wound coverage was almost doubled in treated ear wounds when compared with controls.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that epithelial wound healing is improved by transdermal sustained-delivery treatment with 100% oxygen.
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