Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s first Skin Bank will be inaugurated at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital on World Plastic Surgery Day, July 15.
Stating that all necessary facilities for the functioning of the skin bank have been established, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the Kerala Network for Organ Sharing (KNOS) has granted permission to procure skin through organ donation procedures.
The process to establish a skin bank at Kottayam Medical College is currently progressing, she added.
An amount of Rs 6.75 crore has been spent on setting up the skin bank. A skin bank is a facility that stores skin collected from donors, which is later grafted onto burn wounds.
In cases of severe burns where patients cannot use their own skin, preserved donor skin is grafted using advanced medical technology. This reduces pain, prevents infection, accelerates healing, and saves lives.
The skin is preserved under specific temperatures and systems, and burn units operate under the supervision of the Department of Plastic Surgery.
As part of efforts to provide specialized treatment for burn victims, major medical colleges have been equipped with burn units. During the tenure of the current government, Plastic Surgery Departments have been established at the medical colleges in Alappuzha, Kannur, and Kollam.
Burn units are currently functioning effectively at the medical colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Thrissur. They are also operational at Ernakulam General Hospital and Kollam District Hospital.
The process of setting up a burn unit at Kozhikode Medical College is underway. Steps have also been taken to start burn units at the medical colleges in Kollam, Alappuzha, and Kannur. Plans are in place to standardize these burn units.
The intensive care facilities provided in burn ICUs at these medical colleges help significantly reduce infections, offer quicker relief, and aid in the rehabilitation of burn patients. These burn ICUs offer specialized treatment for patients with burns covering more than 10% of their body.
