Use of glutaraldehyde-gentamicin-treated bovine pericardium as a wound dressing

Glutaraldehyde (GA)-pretreated gentamicin post-fixed bovine pericardium has been evaluated as a wound dressing in this study. Two excisions approximately 7 x 4 cm, each of full thickness skin, from the upper and lower parts down to, but not including, the panniculus carnosus were made from the back of the guinea pig. The skin excised from the upper part was placed on the wound bed of the lower part as an autograft, whereas the upper wound was closed using 5% sodium chloride-trypsin-0.1% GA-0.048% gentamicin-treated bovine pericardium and sutured for comparative study. The wounds were inspected every 3-6 d for infection and exudation. Histopathological studies were performed at weekly intervals in the post-operative period. At the fifth week, a very thin linear scar on the epidermal aspect without remarkable contracture was observed and histopathology showed the completion of epithelization across the wounds in all cases. This study demonstrates that GA-pretreated, gentamicin-post-fixed bovine pericardium may be used as an alternative biological dressing in the case of large wounds.