Chandigarh
On Thursday, Dr. Vivek Lal, the director of PGIMER, Chandigarh, inaugurated the first skin bank in the northern region at the Department of Plastic Surgery. Simultaneously, a Continuing Medical Education (CME) event on Advances in Burn Care and Skin Banking was launched. This pioneering facility is poised to be a valuable resource for individuals with severe burn injuries, addressing a critical gap in skin banking services in Northern India.
The CME brought together leading experts in burn injury management, who shared insights on cutting-edge developments, ranging from innovative surgical techniques to advancements in post-burn rehabilitation. Burn injuries inflict significant physical, psychological, and financial burdens on patients and their families. PGIMER, Chandigarh, as a tertiary care center for burns, annually receives around 500 patients with burns, most of whom have injuries covering over 40% of their body surface area.
The skin bank’s significance lies in its role in skin grafting, a process crucial for replacing lost skin due to burns. Skin grafts, sourced from either the patient’s own body or donated by deceased individuals, play a pivotal role in providing a barrier against infection, reducing pain, and facilitating the healing of underlying tissues. Unlike organs with limited preservation time, skin can be stored for up to five years, offering a versatile and readily available resource. Professor Atul Parashar emphasized the urgent need for awareness about skin donation, pointing out that the newly established Skin Bank at PGI aims to bridge the existing gap and provide a lifeline to those affected by burn injuries. The efficient and swift process of skin donation, involving minimal impact on donors and significant benefits for recipients, underscores the transformative potential of this initiative in saving lives and enhancing the prospects of survival for burn patients in the region.
