Evaluation of Acellular Intact Fish Skin Grafts for Treating Acute and Chronic Wounds

Acute, chronic, and hard-to-heal wounds pose a growing challenge due to reduced patient quality-of-life, higher cost and increased hospital admissions. Although there is no gold standard for wound care, there is a trend toward simple, outpatient-compatible treatment options. Acellular dermal fish skin derived from Gadus morhua (Atlantic cod) is a promising alternative. This retrospective study evaluated the surgical procedures and outcomes associated with fish-skin graft transplantation for difficult-to-treat wounds. Forty-four patients (33 male and 11 female; mean age: 72.4 years; mean wound area: 84.5 cm²) were treated with acellular fish skin graft. Wound healing was assessed by photographic documentation, confocal microscopy and clinical evaluation. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a structured questionnaire. A positive effect on wound healing, defined as a reduction in wound size, was observed in 88.6% of cases, with complete wound closure in 45.45% of cases. Most patients reported that the procedure was neither painful nor time-intensive; 95% stated that they would opt for treatment again. Fish skin grafting has also shown beneficial outcomes in complex cases, such as in wounds secondary to pyoderma gangrenosum and wounds with exposed bone. Fish skin graft transplantation represents a safe, well-tolerated and effective option for managing chronic wounds as well as challenging postoperative wounds, such as those at anatomically challenging sites.