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CASE STUDIES

The temporary second skin

Shift to Synthetics

SUPRATHEL® is an innovative, pioneering, and proven synthetic skin substitute that has revolutionized the treatment of epidermal and dermal wounds. The product that kicked off the Shift to Synthetics over 20 years ago is now used as the standard of care in over 40 countries around the world to treat split-thickness skin graft (STSG) donor sites, superficial, partial thickness and partial thickness with 3° area burns.

Like a second skin

Like a second skin, SUPRATHEL® covers the wound and leads it through a quick, complication-free healing process. SUPRATHEL® was developed to be analogous to the human skin and shares the same properties such as elasticity, permeability to water vapor, and impermeability to bacteria.

Single application

SUPRATHEL® is a single application product that is applied directly to a disinfected and debrided wound bed, where it stays intact until the wound is completely healed. After it is applied, the membrane becomes translucent, thus facilitating the inspection of the healing process. Single application is a win for the patient, and for busy providers.

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Scald

Patient: Male, 5 years
Etiology: Scald injury, left hand
Degree: Mixed burns of degree 2a, small parts 2b

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Re-harvesting at donor site

Patient: Male, 13 years
Etiology: Only donor site available was on upper part of scalp
Degree: Mixed severe burns, 95% TBSA

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Mixed burns (2a/2b)

Patient: Male, 38 years
Etiology: Large scale burns, upper body
Degree: 95% BSA, ABSI 13, mainly superficial partial thickness/deep partial thickness

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Wounds caused by TEN

Patient: Female, 48 years
Etiology: TEN (Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, Lyell’s Syndrome)
Degree: Skin lesions degree 2a, 80% TBSA

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Hand injury (electric burn)

Patient: Male, 59 years
Etiology: Electric burns, hands
Degree: Mainly superficial partial thickness/deep partial thickness

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Indications

SUPRATHEL® is intended for the management of wounds that include:

  • Split-thickness skin graft (STSG) donor sites
  • Burns:
    Superficial
    Partial thickness
    Partial thickness with 3° areas
  • Abrasions

SUPRATHEL® is available in many configurations to accommodate different wound types for each patient.

Benefits

Single application, no change of SUPRATHEL® needed

Significant pain relief up to 60%1-4

  • Less anesthesia and pain medication required1,5-6

Low rate of infections, no biologic risk1,2,5,7-9

  • Synthetic, biocompatible, absorbable
  • No reported allergic reactions

Fast wound healing1,2,5

  • Improved epithelialization3-11

Lower treatment costs2,4,5

  • Less cost and effort for dressing changes2,9
  • Shorter hospital stay5

Excellent cosmetic outcomes and scar quality4,7,8

Lower inflammatory reaction12

Reduced skin graft rate6

Composition

SUPRATHEL® is purely synthetic and therefore does not bear any residual risks as can be the case with biological products of human or animal origin. Upon final resorption, PMI’s SUPRA EPT™ leaves only CO2 and H2O in the wound bed.

Polymer:
Lactide-base copolymer

Metabolism:
Hydrolytically (to CO2 and H2O)

Permeability to water vapor:
40 – 70 ml/m2 (hour), 1,000 – 1,700 ml/m2 per day

Porosity:
70% – 80%

Support materials

Contact local representative for additional materials.

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“SUPRATHEL® represents an
 integral armamentarium in burn 
surgery.”

Lect. MD. Lars-Peter Kamolz, M. Sc, Vienna

1 Schwarze et al. Burns. 2007 Nov;33(7):850-4 | 2 Schwarze et al. Ann Plast Surg. 2008 Feb;60(2):181-5 | 3 Uhlig et al. Burns. 2007 Mar;33(2):221-9 | 4 Kaartinen et al. J Plast Surg Hand Surg. 2011 Sep;45(4-5):200-3 | 5 Everett et al. J Wound Care. 2015 Jul;24(7):S4-8 | 6 Schriek et al. Eur Burn J. 2022 Dec;3(1):1–9 | 7 Keck et al. Burns. 2012 May;38(3):388-95 | 8 Hundeshagen et al. J Burn Care Res. 2018 Feb 20;39(2):261-7 | 9 Markl et al. Ann Plast Surg. 2010 Nov;65(5):490-6 | 10 Gurunluoglu et al. J Burn Care Res. 2019 Jun 21;40(4):444-50 | 11 Gurunluoglu et al. J Burn Care Res. 2019 Apr 26;40(3):302-11 | 12 Demircan et al. Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2021 Jan;27(1):122-31