Boon for burn patients: Karnataka gets its first skin bank at Victoria hospital

Bengaluru, July 15: In a major step in the field of medical science, Karnataka on Wednesday, July 15, got its first skin bank, on the occasion of World Plastic Surgery Day.

The skin bank has been opened within the premises of Bengaluru's Victoria hospital. The skin bank will help patients with 50% to 60% burn injuries in recovering faster.

According to TOI report, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are already equipped with skin banks.

How is skin donated?

The skin is harvested from the thighs of the deceased person's body, within the six hours of for his/her death, with family's pro

The procedure's duration lasts till 30 to 40 minutes.

The harvested skin from the corpse can be carefully preserved for 2-5 years, at zero degree temperature in the skin bank.

Before the harvested skin is applied to a burns patient, it is evaluated, processed, screened and given to burns surgeon.

Then, it is grafted to the patient on the affected area. However, it acts as a temporary dressing, in an attempt to save a patient from the stigma of disfigured skin.

After four to six weeks, it is rejected by the patient's body. Then, the patient's skin can be grafted for plastic surgery.

Criteria for skin donation

For skin grafting, the blood group of recipient and donor needs not to be matched.

Donor should be above 18 years of age.

The donor should not have been suffering from AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD), Hepatitis B, C, Skin cancer, skin disease and septicemia.

OneIndia News