AIIMS Delhi starts Skin Bank facility at Plastic Surgery Block

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, on Thursday started the Skin Bank facility at the Burns, and Plastic Surgery Block. The skin bank is equipped with all the modern facilities to process cadaveric skin, such as a walk-in refrigerator, dermatomes, incubator, shaker and biosafety cabinet with laminar flow.

Inaugurating the Skin Bank facility, Prof. M Srinivas, Director AIIMS, said it will give a new lease of life to burn patients. “AIIMS is committed to providing burn care of international standards. With this facility, AIIMS strives to match the best burn centers globally”, said Prof. Srinivas.

A skin bank manual was also released on this occasion. Dr. Maneesh Singhal, Professor, and Head, said that with all the technical excellence and training, this bank will add to the armamentarium of burn surgeons to save the lives of patients with major burns.

Any person above 18 years of age can donate their skin within 6 hours of death. Only those suffering from HIV & Hepatitis B & C, STDs, generalized infection & septicemia, any kind of skin infection, malignancy, and having evidence of skin cancer cannot donate. The skin is retrieved from the back, thighs, and legs of the deceased person.

In average built individuals, up to 3000 sq cm of skin can be harvested. So, a 30% TBSA raw area will require around 1000 to 1500 sq cm of graft. Thus, donation from one patient can save the life of at least one burn victim and more than one pediatric burn victims, said the hospital.