Role of Burn Blister Fluid in Wound Healing.

Blisters are characteristic finding of second-degree superficial burns. Varied opinions for the management of burn blisters are available in literature. Most accepted one is to puncture it in a sterile way, keep the overlying skin as a biological cover, and over that put a moist sterile biological dressing. Fluid in the blister is ultrafiltrate of the plasma, which is rich in proteins such as immunoglobulins, various cytokines, prostaglandins, and interleukins. This fluid is pro-inflammatory, and the evidence regarding its effect on wound healing is varied. Instead of drainage, the burn blister fluid can be aspirated and immediately sprayed over the other areas of the same wound. We found this method feasible as an adjuvant therapy for second-degree superficial burn wounds. In this case report, we share our experience of the same.

Human Skin Allograft: Is it a Viable Option in Management of Burn Patients?

Tangential excision and autologous split-thickness skin grafting is the standard management of the burn wound, but autograft has limitation of donor-site availability and morbidity. Human skin allograft is an alternate option of wound coverage when autograft is not available. Various synthetic skin substitute dressings are now available in the market, and thus use of human skin allograft has decreased. This case report explores the role of human skin allograft in burn wound management. Allograft facilitates excision of burn wounds during acute phase of burn injury in pediatric patients. It is cost-effective, reduces pain and risk of infection, and avoids frequent dressing changes. Availability of allograft and risk of infection are the two main constraints in its regular use.

Innovative Skin Hook.

Skin hook is an important instrument for skin surgeries. There are situations, such as operating in a health camp or operating at a peripheral health center with a limited number of instruments, where skin hook is not available in the operation theater. We present an innovative design of skin hook, which can be prepared by surgeons in the operation theater with the help of readily available materials. The innovative skin hook is a simple, safe, and effective solution for performing skin surgeries in a limited-resource setup.

Innovative Use of Abdominoplasty Specimen.

Simulator training is important for understanding nipple-areolar complex reconstruction. Human tissue is the best tissue simulator for surgical training. Abdominoplasty specimen is a useful tissue simulator, which is suitable for practicing nipple-areolar complex reconstruction. It is similar to the natural mound created in breast reconstruction. Authors have shared their experience of using abdominoplasty specimen for simulator training of nipple-areolar complex reconstruction for plastic surgery residents. Abdominoplasty specimen is cost-effective, readily available, and an efficient tool for plastic surgery training for the residents.