Skin Donation After Tummy Tuck?

Question

After bariatric surgery, there is a lot of excess skin that will need to be removed via Tummy Tuck. Can one donate this skin to a burn victim?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

AT some point in the relatively near future this may be possible but there are a few issues at stake, One is economic. To make a biologic product availalble for tranplantation, the tissue must go extensive testing which can be cost prohibitive for a relatively small amount of skin. IF however, mutliple tisses are generated, then the costs may well be worth it as is the case with cadaver donors in which bone, corneas, livers, kidneys, skin, ext can be obtained. However the potential use of fat as a stem cell source may make this a more feasible undertaking.

Leila Kasrai, MD, FRCSC · Answer

That’s a great idea, but at this time there aren’t enough resources to make this logistically possible. Perhaps in the future!

Gregory A. Buford, MD, FACS · Answer

Great question!  But, unfortunately, there are only a few centers that can actually process the skin for use as a graft.  My recommendation would be to discuss this option with your surgeon and see what he/she says.

	I hope this helps!

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

There are companies that use skin from operations for generation of various products. This is very tightly controlled and only a few surgeons are specified as working with those companies. Random skin donations are not accepted.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

Excess skin after body contouring is not currently being used for burn patients due to a combination of HIPAA  (privacy) issues, more cost effective alternatives, and tissue bank regulations.

C. Bob Basu, MD, MPH, FACS · Answer

Its a good idea, but as my colleagues have already stated.  There is nothing standardized that is available at this time.

Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for the question.

	While the field of tissue engineering is making marked advances, at present most facilities are not capable of handling donor tissue for skin grafting. This may be possible in short course. For now, your tissue will most likely be disposed with hazardous waste. 

	Warmest Regards,

	Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Regarding: "Skin Donation After Tummy Tuck?   After bariatric surgery, there is a lot of excess skin that will need to be removed via Tummy Tuck. Can one donate this skin to a burn victim? I heard it's possible"

	We do not use the skin removed from massive weight loss patients for other applications for multiple reason:
	1. there are cheaper and better alternative and more are coming along each ear.
	
	2. Removing the skin off the skin and fat flaps and preparing it for storage costs time and labor. Currently, it is applied to the patient. Not many patients would be altruistic to donate a few hundred to a thousand extra dollars in addition to donating their skin. This would have to be changed.

	3.current tissue bank regulations are very strict and few if any plastic surgeons are equipped or willing to put up with them. The donors must be tested for a whole set of disease (who pays for it?). The skin must be stored in a certain way in special dedicated refrigerators with numerous back up power sources (who pays for it?)
	4. potential issues of patient compensation and privacy further cloud the picture.
	 

	Dr. Peter Aldea

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Your right, it would be nice to donate your skin from a tummy tuck, but this is not a standard procedure at this point and sometimes under special situations they are used for research purposes.

Skin Donation After Tummy Tuck?

Answers (9)

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