(EBP-008) Introducing a Novel Autologous Micrografting Technology

Friday, April 10, 2026

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Introduction: During the past 2 decades, the wound healing community learned that skin cells will automatically polarize and layer appropriately regardless of how they are placed onto a wound. That bit of information led to a series of technologic developments taking advantage of skin polarity: A mincing apparatus that created small pieces of split thickness skin to spread onto a wound; a technique of disaggregating epithelial cells with an enzyme and applying a cell suspension; harvesting a skin sample, remote processing of a proprietary slurry to be applied. Newly introduced to the USA is a regenerative system based on micro-meshing full thickness skin.

Methods: Full thickness skin is harvested with a biopsy punch. The skin is placed in the micro-mesher. The device is handheld on the OR table. It takes 2-3 minutes to process and draw into a syringe. The expansion rate is 20-40X.

Results: Over 450,000 micrografting procedures have already been performed around the world. The surgeons in each area use the locally sourced collagen products of their preference to support the graft and cover the wound.

Discussion:

There are over 80 publications in the literature documenting the basic science and clinical results. One multicenter study examined 70 patients with lower extremity wounds of varied etiologies. Follow up was 90% in 1 year. The ulcers were mostly traumatic or surgically created and unhealed for a mean of 7 weeks. At engraftment the size of the wounds averaged 14 cm2. At 7 days it was 11.6 cm2, at 14 days 9.3 cm2, at 21 days 4.5 cm2, and at 48 days 0 cm2. After closure, the wounds continued to contract up to 40% by day 60. At one-year, multiple skin quality assessments were performed documenting that the skin was soft, flat and elastic. Twenty four patients had exposed bone and 12 had exposed tendon in their wounds when engrafted. All healed without infection at a mean of 48 days. While the results of this study were remarkable, many case reports and smaller clusters of operated patients had comparable data.

I personally have used all of these techniques extensively. This one is the easiest, fastest and most economical that I have seen. Since I recently started using this product my patients have not yet gone through the full cycle of healing and scar maturation.