Skin Bank

Table of Contents☰

About Skin Bank

A skin bank is a place where cadaveric skin is processed and preserved under optimal conditions from where it can be used for the benefit of Burn victims.
Skin can be donated after Death within 6 hours from the time of Death.
Anyone can Donate Skin irrespective of sex & blood group, the minimum age of the donor should be 18 years.
There is no upper age limit, even a 100-year-old person can donate his skin and it will be used for treatment.
The skin of persons suffering from AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Skin Cancer, Active skin Disease and Septicemia are considered unfit for donation.
At the time of skin harvesting, a blood sample from the body of the deceased is also taken and a necessary test for HIV, Viral markers & Hepatitis is carried out at the Skin Bank.
An old history of trauma or old history of burns does not make the donor unfit for skin donation.
Skin is generally preserved in 85% glycerol solution. It is stored between 4-5 degree Celsius and it can be stored for a period of up to 5 years.
The country has 16 skin banks — a facility where the skin of deceased persons can be donated — with seven in Maharashtra, four in Chennai, three in Karnataka, and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

Q) What is Glycerol?

Glycerol is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid with a sweet taste. It is a trihydric alcohol, meaning it contains three hydroxyl (-OH) groups. Glycerol is derived from various sources, such as natural fats and oils, and is used in a wide range of applications.

Source: North India’s first skin bank opens in Safdarjung Hospital