Human Split-Thickness Skin Allograft: Skin Substitute in the Treatment of Burn

BACKGROUND Human skin allograft has been used as wound coverage for a long time; it is one of the most successful and widely used dressings for burn wounds in the world. OBJECTIVE To prepare a freeze-dried human split-thickness skin allograft and evaluate its cytotoxicity, the structure and physical properties after processing methods and clinical efficacy in burn patients. METHODS After ensuring tissue safety, we lyophilized human cadaveric partial thickness skin and exposed it to gamma radiation. Histopathological and immunohistochemical properties, tensile strength and in vitro cytotoxicity were assayed for the skin samples. Then, we tested the samples in 11 patients with deep skin burn. RESULTS On histological and histopathological examinations, we found a normal skin structure. The tensile strength of the rehydrated freeze-dried human skin allograft was not lesser than the fresh human skin. Cell viability in MTT testing was more than 95%. None of our patients showed any signs of immunological reactions or complications. CONCLUSION Gamma-irradiated freeze-dried human split-thickness skin is safe and non-toxic and can be used for the treatment of patients with deep skin burn.