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Facial Plast Surg 2002; 18(1): 041-052
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-19826
Copyright © 2002 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Growth Factor Therapy to Improve Soft Tissue Healing

David B. Hom1 , Gentry Thatcher2 , Robert Tibesar3
  • 1Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota School of Medicine and Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
  • 2Private practice, Boston, MA
  • 3Department of Otolaryngology, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN
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Publication History

Publication Date:
29 January 2002 (online)

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ABSTRACT

The advent of new U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved products containing growth factors to improve soft tissue healing signifies a new era for wound healing. Over the last decade, some clinical growth factor studies have been promising, whereas others have not shown any positive effect. What many of these studies have shown is that the state of a healing wound is not only dependent on its growth factor milieu but also on other variables (wound care, tissue oxygen state, bacteria count, and nutritional status of the patient). This article describes recent progress with growth factors on soft tissue structures (skin, mucosa, and nerve) relevant to the facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

KEYWORD

Growth factors - soft tissue - wound healing

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