FAQ: Delhi Gets Its First Skin Bank, But Why Exactly Do We Need One?

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(Photo: Canva/Altered by FIT)

Delhi and North India got its first skin bank on Tuesday, 20 June, at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital.

Being hailed as a turning point for patients of extensive burns, doctors are optimistic about how this skin bank can prove helpful for hundreds of people.

But what exactly is a skin bank? Why do we need one? FIT answers all your FAQs.

What Exactly Is A Skin Bank?

Just like there are blood banks to store blood, skin banks are meant to store skin that has been donated by deceased people.

Within six hours of a person's death, the outer layer of their skin can be lifted and stored in a cool and dry place at a specific temperature. 

This donated skin can be used for up to three weeks if it's stored in a saline solution. But if stored with proper facilities, it can remain usable for at least 3 - 5 years.

What Is This Skin Used For?

Dr Richa Kumar, Senior Consultant – Plastic, Cosmetic, And Reconstructive Surgery – at Noida’s Metro Hospitals & Heart Institute, explains that donated skin is usually used as a 'biological dressing' for burns patients.

"For patients who might have suffered 50-60 percent burns, they won’t have sufficient skin on their body to cover their wounds, and these wounds won’t heal then. So, we use the donated skin as a temporary dressing so that the wound is healed early and the chances of infection reduce till the patients’ skin grows back."

Dr Richa Kumar

Dr Richie Gupta, Director and Head of Department, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shalimar’s Fortis Hospital, adds that this dressing can decrease the pain, chances of morbidity, and make the wound optimum for auto grafting as well.

This, of course, is not a permanent solution. But the 'biological dressing' does act as a barrier that helps in quicker recovery of patients. 

According to the National Programme for Prevention of Burn Injuries, 6-7 million Indians suffer from burns injuries every year.

For cases where there might be sufficient skin on the patient themselves, a graft from the same patient can be used. 

However, while it's mostly used for burns patients because their bodies largely remain uncovered due to injuries, there are other people who might also benefit from skin grafting and 'biological dressing' too. 

Dr Gupta shares that sometimes patients with birth deformities, liver pigmentation also opt for these temporary dressings.

“Or if an accident takes away a large surface area of your skin, that would make it harder for autografting, in such cases, biological dressing is used.”

Dr Richie Gupta

What Is Skin Grafting?

Skin grafting is a procedure that essentially transplants healthy skin from one part of your body to another in case of burns, injuries, etc.

While usually auto grafting is undertaken in most cases, in some cases, the patient might not have enough skin on their own body. This is when they usually opt for donated skin.

Who Can Donate Skin?

Anyone.

Unlike organ or blood donation, no gene match or anything else is required here. But it’s better to donate skin posthumously because for donors who are alive, these might lead to some health concerns.

"If a person donates skin during their lifetime, the donor won’t have enough skin on their body and their wounds won’t get healed. There will be scars too."

Dr Richa Kumar

If This is Delhi’s First Skin Bank, How Were Hospitals Managing Before This?

Prior to the opening of Delhi’s first skin bank, Dr Kumar shares that artificial skin was derived from animal skin.

However, that would often end up causing issues because "patients usually have allergies to animal skin, the skins might not be good or big enough to cover the entire affected area, and they cost a bomb."

The skin bank opening at Safdarjung Hospital is also a ray of hope, doctors say. 

"With the development of these banks, a huge help will be offered to burn patients because the chances of infections and allergies will decrease significantly. Other institutes can also use this facility to treat their patients."

Dr Richie Gupta