Know More about Organ Donation - Skin Transplant

What is skin transplant?

In general, donated skin would not be used as an allograft transplant per se since the outcome varies widely among patients even with the use of immunosuppressants. Therefore, the international gold standard is to use patients’ own skin (autograft) to cover wounds. However, as major wounds may develop potentially life-threatening complications, the use of donated skin may potentially save lives.

Common conditions requiring use of donated skin

• Major or large area of burns

Function of Donated Skin (in debrided wounds)

• Protect against infection and fluid loss
• Promote wound healing and reduce pain

Patients with large area of burns may not have sufficient unburnt skin to provide autograft to cover all wounds in one single operation, and it takes around 2 to 3 weeks for the autograft donor sites to heal before allowing another harvest. Under this situation, the availability of donated skin would be crucial to patients with major burns. The donated skin would be used to temporarily cover the debrided wounds with a view to protecting against infection and fluid loss while promoting wound healing and reducing pain, whilst the donor sites heal. Without the use of donated skin, a patient with a major burn will be much more likely to suffer from complications, including death.

Criteria for deceased skin donor

• Aged over 10 and with body weight above 30 kilograms
• Meet the general criteria for deceased organ / tissue donation
• Donation within 12 hours after cardiac death
• Hepatitis carriers should not donate skin
• No severe infection or infectious diseases
• No active tuberculous or history of cutaneous tuberculous
• No history of non-organ specific autoimmune disease with cutaneous manifestation
• Skin without bedsore or ulcer