Skin grafting
What is skin grafting? Who can it help?
How does it work? Be specific
Describe both limitations and advancements
Skin grafting is necessary when a patient is severely burned, which is considered to be a third degree burn. In a third degree burn the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis are all affected from this this burn. Third degree burns are the most severe type of bun there is because the affect the epidermis, dermis, and the subcutaneous layer. After this type of burn the skin may appear charred, blanched, or bright red and normally the person affected by this won’t feel any pain because of the the nerves that were damaged. After the burn has occurred the patient may require a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is given to treat and prevent infections from a wide variety of bacteria. The patient’s burn/s would place them at risk for infections because the protective orga is no longer there and the immune system is not working due to the burns. Without the protective covering, the patient is not able to protect themselves from bacterial infections. The skin is normally colonized with bacteria but it doesn’t cause a problem because it is usually able to fight it off. Normally with these types of burns it will require weeks to months for the skin to heal. This is an extremely slow process that will sometimes cause patients to have infections or go into hypovolemic shock. however if the patient were to get a skin graft, this process would speed up. The skin graft will help out while the ski is healing, and doctors will usually prescribe antibiotics for the patient to take. The debridement process is often accomplished by placing the part of the body that is burnt into hydrotherapy tank which helps remove the burned tissue. To make sure they minimize fluid loss, and risk of infection, cardiac skin pig skin, or a human amniotic membrane is temporarily place over where the burn is. In doing so this covers and helps protect the skin and it will be removed once the patient
How does it work? Be specific
Describe both limitations and advancements
Skin grafting is necessary when a patient is severely burned, which is considered to be a third degree burn. In a third degree burn the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis are all affected from this this burn. Third degree burns are the most severe type of bun there is because the affect the epidermis, dermis, and the subcutaneous layer. After this type of burn the skin may appear charred, blanched, or bright red and normally the person affected by this won’t feel any pain because of the the nerves that were damaged. After the burn has occurred the patient may require a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is given to treat and prevent infections from a wide variety of bacteria. The patient’s burn/s would place them at risk for infections because the protective orga is no longer there and the immune system is not working due to the burns. Without the protective covering, the patient is not able to protect themselves from bacterial infections. The skin is normally colonized with bacteria but it doesn’t cause a problem because it is usually able to fight it off. Normally with these types of burns it will require weeks to months for the skin to heal. This is an extremely slow process that will sometimes cause patients to have infections or go into hypovolemic shock. however if the patient were to get a skin graft, this process would speed up. The skin graft will help out while the ski is healing, and doctors will usually prescribe antibiotics for the patient to take. The debridement process is often accomplished by placing the part of the body that is burnt into hydrotherapy tank which helps remove the burned tissue. To make sure they minimize fluid loss, and risk of infection, cardiac skin pig skin, or a human amniotic membrane is temporarily place over where the burn is. In doing so this covers and helps protect the skin and it will be removed once the patient
Cited: -"Artificial skin" World of Health. Gale, 2007. Gale Science in Context. Web. 13 Nov. 2012 -"Skin Substitutes." Biotechnology: Changing Life Through Science. Vol 1: Medicine. Detroit: U*X*L, 2007. 236-240. Gale Science In Context. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.