Significant Reduction in Hypertrophic Scarring Seen With Planatome’s Surgical Blades

Planatome is sharing results of a clinical study showing its nano-polished blades significantly reduce the occurrence of hypertrophic scarring by 86%.

Hypertrophic scars and keloids, chronic overgrowths of scar tissue on the skin, pose significant physical disfigurement and psychological challenges for patients. These issues are caused by excessive tissue response to dermal injury, local inflammation, and collagen overproduction, and disproportionately occur in individuals with darker skin tones, as well as younger age groups and during pregnancy. The condition impacts approximately 15 million U.S. patients annually, with associated treatment costs surpassing $4 billion.

The 114-patient clinical study, conducted by Michael Sanchez, Ph.D., and Frank Agullo, M.D., a renowned plastic surgeon trained at the Mayo Clinic, compared outcomes in face and neck lift procedures for 57 patients using conventional blades against 57 patients using Planatome’s nano-polished blades.

The study revealed an 86% reduction in hypertrophic scarring in statistically equivalent patient populations relative to ethnicity, age, gender, smoking status, and comorbidities. The occurrence rate of hypertrophic scarring was just 1.8% for patients treated with Planatome blades, compared to 12.3% in those treated with conventional blades (>95% confidence interval, p=0.029).

“Planatome’s nano-polished blade technology offers a breakthrough in reducing the risk of hypertrophic and keloid scars, which are known to develop due to excessive tissue response to injury,” Dr. Agullo said.

“We found superior cutting-edge precision minimizes tissue damage, ensuring smooth wound edges that support better healing,” Dr. Sanchez added. “By using a blade that minimizes trauma, we see significantly better healing outcomes and lessened scarring, which is a major win for patient quality of life.”

Previous studies show Planatome’s nano-polished blades reduced tissue inflammation with up to 60% less collagen deposition and an 8x lower TGF-β production, providing nine times greater wound closure three days post-incision. This new study underscores the importance of gentle tissue handling and precision in surgical interventions, especially for patients with complicated wound healing conditions and those who are prone to adverse scarring.

The results follow a 2024 diabetic wound healing study published in which research professors J.P. Hong, M.D., Ph.D., and JW Choi, M.D., Ph.D,. from the Asan Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, demonstrated that Planatome’s nano-polished blades level-set healing for a diabetic rat population and provide healthcare professionals the opportunity to lower the risk of adverse event occurrence in diabetic and other immunocompromised patients who undergo surgical procedures.

“Planatome’s nano-polished blades offer a solution that minimizes tissue trauma during surgery, leading to far superior healing outcomes,” said Keith L. Jeffcoat, DEng, and chief Technology Officer responsible for leading the R&D team in the application of Planatome’s nano-polishing technology to a myriad of surgical devices. “These results mark a new era for surgical devices, in which minimizing trauma and promoting faster, smoother recovery are possible across all patient demographics.”

Planatome develops advanced surgical cutting instruments. The company’s patented and proprietary nano-polishing technology is derived from semiconductor manufacturing, and redefines sharp to ensure precise, low trauma, smooth incisions that promote superior healing, reduce recovery times, and minimize the risk of adverse scarring events.