Study: Synthetic Epidermis Spray An Effective Prevention For Proud Flesh

Injuries on a horse’s lower legs are notoriously difficult to heal and often are subjected to excessive tissue growth called proud flesh, a granulation tissue which protrudes from the wound site and delays healing.

French researchers, led by Dr. Charlotte Pandaveine of the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, investigated a new synthetic epidermis spray to see if it would promote wound healing compared to traditional bandaging techniques.

The researchers created surgical wounds on the lower legs of six Standardbred mares and either used the spray or bandaged the wounds. The spray was used only on the day the wounds were made; it consisted of comprised ultraviolet polymerizable methacrylate monomers, comonomers, crosslinker, and a photo initiator. Once applied, it was exposed to ultraviolet light for 60 seconds, then a second layer was applied and exposed to the light.

Horses that were bandaged had a non-stick pad applied to the wound, then were wrapped in cotton gauze and bandaged with a cohesive wrap. These horses had the bandage changed every four days to mimic how these wounds are commonly treated in the field.

The scientists found that the spray allowed the wound to heal without proud flesh production, but it didn’t reduce the time it took for the wounds to heal compared to the bandaged horses. They conclude that the spray could be an alternative to bandaging lower-leg wounds as it is practical and affordable.

Read more at Equine Science Update.