The many uses of allograft skin

Although allografts have traditionally been used on burn patients as temporary covers for large surface area burns before placement of autografts, recent investigations suggest other applications in wound healing. The purpose of this article is to discuss some of the applications for allograft skin, present illustrative examples of its usefulness, and explore possibilities for future research, including tissue banks, rejection of allograft skin, and cultured epithelial allografts. These applications and possibilities support the use of allograft skin as a true "biologic dressing."