Skin Bank

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

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