Evaluation of lyophilised, gamma-irradiated amnion as a biological dressing

Burns, non-healing wounds and pressure sores cause extensive damage to the skin leading to infection and loss of precious body fluids. Despite advances in burn management the mortality rate continues to be high and the search for an economical and easily available dressing to control burn wound infection continues. Autologous skin has limited availability and is associated with additional scarring. Conventional dressings require frequent changes which can be painful and may even require anaesthesia. Amnion is an excellent biological dressing and its use in the treatment of burns has special appeal in India as there are religious barriers to the acceptance of bovine and porcine skin.Lyophilised, irradiated amnion provided for the first time in the country by the Tata Memorial Hospital Tissue Bank was evaluated as a temporary biological dressing. It was used to treat 35 patients with burns, 21 patients with bedsores and non-healing ulcers and the skin graft donor sites of 11 patients. The amnion was easy to handle and stuck well to the raw wound bed. An open dressing was used in most of the second degree burns which healed with hyperemia and early pigmentation. In patients with third degree burns, ulcers or skin graft donor sites, closed dressings were used. The exudate and induration were reduced and patients were more comfortable and experienced less pain. There was healthy granulation with good re-epithelialisation. Amnion was not used in patients with infected third degree burns.