By Connie Zhi-Chen Hung • Tsai-Hua Chung • Wen-Hsien Lin – Cureus –
Abstract
Conventional treatments for deep second-degree scald burns are frequently associated with prolonged healing times and hypertrophic scarring. Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells represent a promising cell-free therapeutic strategy owing to their capacity to promote tissue regeneration. This report describes a 46-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history who sustained a deep burn to her left thigh. The injury, classified as deep second-degree per American Burn Association (ABA) standards and involving 1% of the total body surface area (TBSA), significantly hindered her daily activities. Although not life-threatening, the localized pain and wound extent caused substantial functional impairment. Following one week of standard wound care without significant clinical improvement, a topical formulation containing human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosomes (UC-MSC-Exos; ExoVia, BIONET Therapeutics Corp., Taipei, Taiwan) was applied once daily for nine consecutive days. Progressive granulation tissue formation and accelerated re-epithelialization were observed throughout the treatment period. Complete wound closure was achieved by day 18 post-injury, and the one-month follow-up demonstrated excellent skin quality with minimal scarring. No adverse reactions occurred during the treatment course. These preliminary findings suggest that topical application of UC-MSC-Exos could potentially serve as a well-tolerated adjunctive therapy associated with favorable healing for deep second-degree scald burns. Further investigation through larger, controlled clinical trials is warranted to validate these preliminary observations.
