Source: IndiaToday

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Context

• The Indian Army has recently established a skin bank facility to aid in the treatment of severe burn injuries and other skin-related conditions.
• This facility, a first-of-its-kind within the Armed Forces Medical Services, will serve military personnel and their families, providing a critical resource for skin grafting procedures.

Details

What is a Skin Bank?

• A skin bank is a facility where donated skin from deceased individuals is collected, processed, and stored for future use in medical treatments, primarily for burn victims.
• The skin can be preserved for up to 5 years under controlled conditions.

Key Features of the Indian Army's Skin Bank

• Centralised Hub: The facility acts as a centralised hub for the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of skin grafts.
• Specialised Staff: Staffed with trained medical professionals, including plastic surgeons, tissue engineers, and specialised technicians.
• Storage Conditions: Skin is preserved in an 85% glycerol solution at temperatures between 4-5 degrees Celsius.

Skin Donation Process

• Eligibility: Any individual over the age of 18, except those with conditions like AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, STDs, skin cancer, active skin diseases, and septicemia, can donate skin.
• Collection: Skin must be donated within 6 hours of death.
• Processing: The donated skin is tested for infections (HIV, viral markers, Hepatitis), processed, and preserved.
• Storage: Processed skin can be stored for up to 5 years.

Importance of Skin Grafting

• Skin grafting is a surgical procedure where a piece of healthy skin is transplanted to an area where the skin is damaged or missing.
• This procedure significantly improves survival rates and healing times for burn victims and can reduce hospital stays and treatment costs.

Procedure for Skin Grafting

• Preparation: The damaged area is cleaned and prepared for the graft.
• Harvesting: A thin layer of healthy skin is removed from the donor site.
• Transplantation: The harvested skin is placed on the damaged area and secured.
• Healing: The graft is monitored to ensure proper adhesion and integration.

Benefits of the Skin Bank

• Immediate Availability: Provides a ready supply of skin for emergencies.
• Reduces Mortality: Skin grafts can significantly reduce death rates in severe burn cases.
• Enhanced Recovery: Promotes better healing and faster recovery for patients.
• Cost-Effective: Shortens hospital stays and lowers overall treatment costs.
• Geographic Flexibility: Donated skin can be transported across the country to help patients in need.

Types of Skin Grafts

• Autografts
  • Description: Skin taken from the patient's own body.
  • Advantages: Reduced risk of rejection and infection.
  • Disadvantages: Requires a donor site, which creates another wound.
• Allografts
  • Description: Skin taken from another human donor, usually a cadaver.
  • Advantages: No need for an additional wound on the patient.
  • Disadvantages: Higher risk of rejection and infection, temporary solution as the body eventually rejects it.
• Xenografts
  • Description: Skin taken from a different species, usually pigs.
  • Advantages: Readily available and no additional wound on the patient.
  • Disadvantages: Temporary solution, higher risk of infection and rejection.
• Synthetic Grafts
  • Description: Man-made materials used to cover the wound.
  • Advantages: No risk of disease transmission, customizable to the patient's needs.
  • Disadvantages: May not integrate as well as natural skin, potential for long-term complications.

Sources:

IndiaToday

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Skin grafting is a vital technique in reconstructive surgery, offering solutions for patients with significant skin loss. Comment. (10 Marks)