Effects of cryoprecipitate on the healing of chronic wounds.

Basic research has promise for clinical wound healing. Purified wound healing growth factors are not available for clinical use, but they are present in plasma and platelets and have been used in patients. Chronic wounds would seem to be good for study since the wound surface is easily measured and the patient is anxious for progress. We have done a double-blinded pilot study using autologous cryoprecipitate on chronic wounds. Three of six patients showed wound healing progress; but only one patient's wounds healed permanently. One patient developed new diabetic ulcers, and one patient failed to keratinize epithelialized skin. Cryoprecipitate may promote wound healing, but further work awaits more purified healing factors. Simple measurement of the surface area of a chronic wound may not be adequate to describe all the processes of healing.