A Swine Burn Model for Investigating the Healing Process in Multiple Depth Burn Wounds

The objective of our research is to provide a reliable and robust model to study multiple burn injuries and its healing process. This is relevant for both diagnosis and treatment research. We successfully established a multi-depth model of burns that accurately mimics the burns in humans.

We standardized this protocol by providing specific details of burn-making device, temperature, and time of contact, which makes it easy to reproduce the model by other researchers in the field. By using this model, we allow studying the healing process with a long-term follow-up while minimizing intraindividual variability. In addition, the high melanin content of the skin allows advanced research relevant to high prototypes.

Swine models of burn injury are important due to their similarities with human burns. Our model allows us to observe the changes in the early phase of healing when treatment decisions need to be made, as well as in the late phase when scar formations need to be minimized for aesthetic and functional recovery. Our lab at Massachusetts General Hospital is developing non-invasive biomedical devices to assess burn severity and healing potential at various stages, aiming to improve clinical burn management through insights from initial experiments.

To begin, place an anesthetized pig in a prone position, disinfect the skin with 7.5%povidone iodine, followed by 0.9%saline solution. Then, dry the skin. Grasp a heated brass block with heat resistant gloves and place it on the designated tattoo spot.

Start the timer as soon as the brass block touches the skin. Remove the brass block after 30 seconds, then place it back in its dedicated heating container. Monitor the temperature until it reaches the target.

Assess the aspect of wounds following burn creation. Next, place a petroleum-impregnated gauze on each burn location. Cover it with dry non-woven gauze.

Spray a tincture of benzoin solution on the surrounding skin to help the dressings adhere better, then place a large, transparent adhesive dressing over it. Wrap the animal in a sufficiently tight, self-adherent adhesive wrap. Add a final layer of tubular stock net to complete the multilayer dressing.