Lendrum (-MSB) staining for fibrin identification in sealed skin grafts

The significance and effect of fibrin sealant systems for woundhealing are still unknown, because of the use of insufficient, conventional staining methods for the demonstration of the fibrin components used by sealant systems. From 21 patients with extensive burns of 2nd and 3rd degree biopsies of the skin were obtained during consecutive operations to cover the defect of the skin with split-thickness skin grafting. In the present paper morphological results concerning the demonstration of fibrin components and morphological differences in woundhealing of sealed and unsealed skin grafts are presented using Lendrum (-MSB) staining. With this staining method it is possible to identify exogenous fibrin components of the sealant system and to differentiate between fresh and older fibrin components, due to colour changes depending on time.