Doctors At Osmania General Hospital Call For Skin Donations To Save Burn Patients

Ahead of World Skin Day, doctors at the Osmania-Hetero RCHE Skin Bank in Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, called for greater public awareness and the dispelling of myths surrounding skin donation to help save burn victims. The hospital's skin bank currently has approximately 10,000 square centimeters of preserved skin in storage and has distributed 50 donations, which have benefited nearly 100 patients.

Dr. P. Lakshmi, the Head of Burns, Plastic Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery at Osmania General Hospital, stated that most skin donations currently come from brain-dead and natural death donors. To increase awareness and address misconceptions, the hospital plans to collaborate with eye donation programs. Skin donation is also listed on the Jeevandan website, with support from non-governmental organizations and transplant coordinators.

According to doctors, skin can be donated within six hours of death, or within 24 hours if the deceased's body is preserved in an ice box. The hospital's retrieval team is equipped to reach locations within a 20-kilometer radius at any time to harvest the skin.

The donated skin is harvested from the legs, thighs, and back of the donor. Doctors noted that the body is properly dressed afterward, ensuring that funeral or religious rituals are not affected. Before preservation, blood samples are tested for infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B, and doctors screen for skin diseases. The harvested skin undergoes a three-stage preservation process, including bacterial and fungal testing, and can be stored for up to five years.

Skin grafting is critical for patients with extensive skin loss due to burns, trauma, infections, and chemical injuries. Dr. Lakshmi explained that burns covering more than 25 percent of the body surface in adults, and more than 10 percent in children, are life-threatening, making timely grafting vital. Preserved skin has successfully treated injuries ranging from 10 percent burns in children to 75 percent in adults.

Currently, the skin preserved at the Osmania-Hetero RCHE Skin Bank is provided free of cost to burn patients admitted to the hospital, where the Plastic and Burn Surgery team provides round-the-clock emergency services. Anyone aged 18 and above can pledge to donate skin, while individuals with HIV, Hepatitis B, skin infections, skin cancer, or those who died due to poisoning or major infections are ineligible to donate.

The amount of skin harvested depends on the donor's age and build, with an 18-year-old donor potentially yielding up to 2,500 square centimeters of skin. Out of the 50 bodies from which skin has been collected, donations from 30 have already been used to treat 100 individuals. Doctors highlighted that for every single skin donation, three to five children can be saved.