A one-dimensional morphoelastic model for burn injuries: sensitivity analysis and a feasibility study

TL;DR

This paper develops and analyzes a one-dimensional morphoelastic model for post-burn scar contraction, performing sensitivity analysis and feasibility testing for different age groups, revealing key parameters influencing tissue contraction.

Contribution

It introduces a novel morphoelastic model incorporating biological components and performs sensitivity analysis and feasibility studies for predicting burn scar contraction.

Findings

Key parameters influencing contraction identified

Model sensitivity to collagen and cell apoptosis rates

Model predictions differ from clinical observations

Abstract

We consider a one-dimensional morphoelastic model describing post-burn scar contraction. This model describes the displacement of the dermal layer of the skin and the development of the effective Eulerian strain in the tissue. Besides these components, the model also contains components that play a major role in skin repair after trauma. These components are signaling molecules, fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, and collagen. We perform a sensitivity analysis for many parameters of the model and use the results for a feasibility study. In this study, we test whether the model is suitable for predicting the extent of contraction in different age groups. To this end, we conduct an extensive literature review to find parameter values. From the sensitivity analysis, we conclude that the most sensitive parameters are the equilibrium collagen concentration in the dermal layer, the apoptosis rate of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, and the secretion rate of signaling molecules. Further, although we can use the model to simulate distinct contraction densities in different age groups, our results differ from what is seen in the clinic.