Acell is the manufacturer of a well known healing adjunct material that is based on urinary bladder mart (UBM) technology. Research on extracellular matrix (ECM) constructs comprised of the epithelial basement membrane of the mammalian urinary bladder has been shown to favorably affect the tissue remodeling of the human wound. This has to variety of Acell wound healing products over the years.
Earlier this year Acell introduced Gentrix Incisional, an implantable sheet comprised of MatriStem UBM™ technology which is designed to reinforce soft tissue in surgical site incisions. Gentrix Incisional is an extracellular matrix material that helps the remodeling of scar tissue formation in a healing wound.site-appropriate, functional tissue where scarring would be expected. It is a scaffold that encourages blood vessel and cellular ingrowth, providing a healing environment that can result in less scar. It is useful in reinforcing primary closures where the soft tissue may be compromised or as an additional form of reinforcement.
I have had several patients recently that wanted to use Gentrix Incisional Matrix with the intent having an improved scar appearance of their incisions. While this is not necessarily what the product’s primary intention is and there is no documented research to support that this is one of the product’s benefits, there is some biologic merit to that concept.
Placing the sheet as part of closing a surgical incision is far more convenient and effective than trying to use a powdered product which I have done in the past.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana