NEW DELHI: Victims of extensive burns and acid attack and patients with deep, severe scars now have a fresh ray of hope - in the form of a dedicated skin bank at Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital.
The initiative is the first of its kind in Delhi-NCR and north India, according to hospital authorities. India has 16 skin banks, mostly located in Maharashtra and the southern states. The free facility, opened Tuesday by Dr BL Sherwal, the hospital's medical superintendent, is significant as artificial skin grafting is a high-cost procedure and few people are able to avail it.
Typically, such banks rely on skin donations upon the death of a person. A team of doctors cleans the skin of the deceased with betadine scrub and peels it off. The outermost layer is removed from the thighs and the back of the donor.
Next comes grafting, which involves removing skin from one part of the body and transplanting it to another that is damaged. Within a few days of grafting, the skin begins to develop blood vessels and heal.
The skin, which must be harvested from the cadaver within eight to 10 hours of death, is preserved in 85% glycerol and under 4-5 degrees Celsius. It has a shelf life of four-five years. Donations are accepted only from people without any infection. HIV, cancer and Hepatitis B patients are not allowed to donate as their skin may be susceptible to infections.
Dr Shalabh Kumar, head of department, burns and plastic surgery, said over seven million people sustain burns every year in India.
"At least 1.4 lakh lives are lost while 1.5 lakh people develop deformities. The problem is huge and we need to tackle it. Cadaveric skin can decrease mortality, increase survival rate, reduce hospital stay and the overall cost of treatment," he said.
The proposal to set up a skin bank at Safdarjung Hospital was initiated in 2012 after the health ministry's nod. However, it was delayed after the pandemic, Dr Kumar said.
Dr Kumar also stressed on the need to bust myths associated with skin donation. "It involves minimal mutilation compared to other organ donations, which involve operations. In skin donation, nothing of the sort is involved. There is no disfigurement. It takes just 30-40 minutes to take out the skin, and only the upper layer is removed so the dignity of the deceased isn't harmed," he said.
For donation, blood groups don't need to match. There is also no need for immunosuppressants and steroids in the post-operative period.
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