Evolving practice of the Helsinki Skin Bank

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering
• Burn Care

Background:

• The Helsinki Skin Bank manages glycerol-preserved allograft skin.
• Assessing microbiological safety and clinical utility is crucial for allograft skin banks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the management of the Helsinki Skin Bank from 2001-2008.
• To evaluate the microbiological safety and clinical application of glycerol-preserved allograft skin.

Main Methods:

• Review of Helsinki Skin Bank records (2001-2008).
• Data collection on skin area, microbiological cultures, and patient operations.
• Analysis of indications for allograft skin use.

Main Results:

• 115 donors provided a mean of 44,335 cm(2) of skin annually.
• 86% of skin batches had negative microbiological cultures.
• 52% of 69 operations utilized skin for partial-thickness burns; cost was 0.81 euro/cm(2).

Conclusions:

• Glycerol-preserved allograft skin from the Helsinki Skin Bank is microbiologically safe.
• Allograft skin is a versatile, economical, and effective treatment for major burn cases.
• It offers a viable alternative to synthetic dressings.