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Pilot study on the effect of tropocollagen injections on re-epithelialisation rate of hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers
Med Univ Gdansk, Poland; Flebol Clin, Poland.
Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Medicine Center, Department of Dermatology and Venerology. Med Univ Gdansk, Poland.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2646-3903
2026 (English)In: Journal of Wound Care, ISSN 0969-0700, E-ISSN 2052-2916, Vol. 35, no 7, p. 590-596Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Objective: Collagen is a key component of the extracellular matrix, providing structural integrity and supporting tissue remodelling. Its biodegradability, biocompatibility and resistance to degradation make it ideal for biomedical applications, such as wound healing, tissue engineering and surgical adhesives. Collagen also plays a vital role in wound healing by supporting clot formation, attracting growth factors and promoting tissue regeneration. The aim of this study was to use the technique of tropocollagen injections and evaluate its effect on wound healing. Method: In this pilot study, patients with hard-to-heal (chronic) granulating venous leg ulcers (VLUs), which were not infected or cancerous, underwent the procedure with tropocollagen injection to wound edges (at 1cm intervals), every second week for two months (the tropocollagen group). Patients were followed up every week over the two months and assessed for the percentage of wound that had re-epithelialised. Patients' pain levels were also noted using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The same number of patients were treated as per those receiving the tropocollagen injections (debridement and same wound dressings but without the injections) to act as control. Results: A total of 20 patients were randomly allocated to the two groups (10 in the tropocollagen group and 10 in the control group). The tropocollagen group demonstrated a higher rate of relative wound re-epithelialisation by day 30. On day 60, the tropocollagen group exhibited a significantly higher degree of wound re-epithelialisation compared with the control group (p<0.01). In three patients in the tropocollagen group, complete re-epithelialisation was observed at the end of the study period. Moreover, mean pain higher in the tropocollagen group than in the control group (4.0 versus 3.0, respectively; p=0.03), yet significantly lower during rest (mean 2.0 versus 3.5 +/- 1.0, respectively; p=0.01). Conclusion: The findings of this small study indicate that tropocollagen injections have a high potential to accelerate the treatment methods. It is an effective method that can be used in outpatient settings, as an alternative to skin grafting.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MA HEALTHCARE LTD , 2026. Vol. 35, no 7, p. 590-596
Keywords [en]
chronic wounds; hard-to-heal; leg ulcer; tropocollagen; wound; wound care; wound dressing; wound healing
National Category
Dermatology and Venereal Diseases
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-226841DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2025.0107ISI: 001818308200001PubMedID: 42397770Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105044360732OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-226841DiVA, id: diva2:2093596
Available from: 2026-08-19 Created: 2026-08-19 Last updated: 2026-08-19

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Department of Biomedical and Clinical SciencesFaculty of Medicine and Health SciencesDepartment of Dermatology and Venerology
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