Cadaveric skin transplantation showcased at Jipmer

A Cadaveric Skin Transplantation was performed at the Jawharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) centre.

According to a Jipmer statement, this is the first time in the country a government hospital is performing Cadaveric Skin Transplantation. First cadaveric skin was harvested from brain dead patient and was utilized for two patients; one of them was a burn patient and other a case of chronic non healing wound. The transplantation was headed by Dr Ravi Kumar Chitoria and team of JIPMER Cadaveric Tissue and Organ Transplantation Programme.

According to Dr Subhash Chandra Parija,Director, JIPMER has been given licence to start Cadaveric Tissue Transplantation recently by the Government of India.There are many patients who have lost their vital tissues like skin, bones, soft tissues, digits, hands, limbs, ear, nose, genitalia, face and head. following an accident, burns, cancer, surgery and are unable to perform vital functions,he said adding that these patients can be benefitted by transplantation of these tissues from recently expired patients to live patients in need.

Dr Ravi Kumar Chitoria said JIPMER has Government of India's certified 'Brain Death Committee' to declare a patient 'Brain-Dead' (with Heart, Lungs, Kidney and other vital organs still functioning). Such patients' only can be considered as eligible for Cadaveric Organ and Tissue Transplantation. Cadaveric (dead) transplantation is usually done by a dedicated team involving Plastic Surgeon, Anesthetist, Orthopedician, Immunologist, Orthotist-Prosthotist, Physiotherapist, Microvascular Technician, Social Worker and other supportive departments like Radiology and Imaging, Blood Bank, Pathology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, etc. JIPMER is fully equipped with these infrastructure and manpower to perform Cadaveric Tissue and Organ Transplantation.