Objective To compare the reparative effects between the acellular small intestinal submucosa andthe acellular amnion as dressings for traumatic skin defects. Methods Three full-thickness skin defects, which wereclose to the vertebral column of the pig, were created on both sides of the dorsum. The skin defects were randomlydivided into three groups. In each group, the following different materials were used to cover the skin defects: theacellular amnion in Group A, the acellular small intestinal submucosa (SIS) in Group B, and the physiological saline aguze in Group C (the control group). The specimens from the skin defects were harvested for a histological evaluation and for determination of the hydroxyproline content at 10 (2 pigs), 20 (2 pigs), and 30 days (3 pigs). We observed the healing process of the wound and its healing rate, counted the inflammatory cells, vasecular endothelial cells, and proliferating cells, and determined the hydroxyproline content. Results The acellular amnion in Group A and acellular SIS in Group B adhered to the wound tightly, but they did not adhere to the dressing; when the dressing was changed, the wound did not bleed. The saline gauze in Group C adhred to the wound tightly, but when the dressing was changed, the wound bled until 22 days after operation. Under the microscope, the collagen in the tissue below the epithelium was arranged more regularly and there were fewer cells concerned with inflammation in Groups A and B than in Group C at 10, 20, and 30 days after operation. At 10, 20, and 30 days after operation, the wound healing rate was greater in Groups A and B than in Group C, The number of the inflammatory cells and the proliferating cells were greater in Groupo C than in Groups A and B. There was a statistically significant difference (P lt; 0.05),At 20 and 30 days after operatin, the content of hydroxyproline was greater in Group c than in Group A and B. There was a statistically significant difference (P lt; 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference between Group A and Group B in the wound healing rate, the numbers of the inflammatory cells, vascular endothelial cells and prokiferating cells, and the content of hydroxyproline(P gt; 0.050). There was no statistically significant difference among the three groups in the number of the vascular endothelial cells. Conclusion Compared with Group C........