Researchers from Healthpoint Biotherapeutics in Fort Worth, Texas administered 228 patients with venous leg ulcers with this treatment which consisted of skin cells suspended in blood clotting proteins sprayed on the wound, The Telegraph reported.
The treatment accelerated healing and improved the chances of wound closure in the patients. Those receiving the most effective dosage were 52 per cent more likely to see their ulcer clear up after three months than untreated patients.
They also experienced a 16 per cent greater reduction in wound area after seven days. In addition, the treatment helped wounds to close 21 days earlier.
"The treatment we tested in this study has the potential to vastly improve recovery times and overall recovery from leg ulcers without the need for a skin graft," Dr Herbert Slade, one of the study authors was quoted by the paper as saying.
The research was published in The Lancet medical journal.
People with restricted movement, obese individuals and those with varicose veins all face a greater risk of developing venous leg ulcers.
Standard treatment consists of compression bandages, infection control and wound dressings. However, this only heals between 30 per cent and 70 per cent of ulcers.
While skin grafts have been used, this results in a further wound at the site from which the transplanted skin is taken.
"The spray-on solution can be available as soon as required - skin grafts take a certain amount of time to prepare, which exposes the patient to further discomfort and risk of infection," Slade said.
