Mumbai: In order to spread awareness about skin donation, a skin donation bank is soon to be set up at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital. A senior doctor said that the hospital will set up the skin bank with the help of the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Authority (ROTTO), and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Authority (SOTTO). This comes after many severe burn cases are now transferred to National Burns Center in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, which is one of the largest specialised burns hospitals in India.
Dr Vinita Puri, Head of Plastic Surgery Department at the KEM hospital, said the main objective behind starting this skin bank is to create awareness. “On a daily basis, we witness two-three patients with burn injuries, and around 120 patients require plastic surgery every year. If the skin remains open then the chances of infection increases while the patient can be given a new skin through skin grafting,” said Dr Puri.
Health officials said the skin bank will mainly store skin from cadavers. A skin bank is a facility where skin is collected from cadavers and donors and then processed. “The skin, which can be stored for up to five years can be used to treat people who have suffered deep burns, chemical burns and electrical burns. Timely skin grafts can protect such patients from fatal infections,” said official.
Dr Logo Gajiwala, Director, Western Region, Rotto-Sotto, said currently there is one skin bank at Sion hospital, owing to which people are ready to donate their skin. But if one more is started, it will be benefit many people who are in need of skin donation.
“Skin from a donor is generally harvested within six hours, stored in glycerol and then taken to a skin bank. There, it undergoes a three-stage process: ultra-violet sterilisation for 15 minutes, processing for one hour with certain chemicals to give it a long life, and preservation at minus 4 degree Celsius. It can then last for five to six years,” said Dr Logo.