Clinical Experience of Omega 3 Fish Graft in Full Thickness Wounds Editorial Summary This article is an overview of a case series which examines how decellularized intact fish skin grafts facilitate the healing process in full thickness burn injuries, and describes over time its integration into the wound during follow up after application. Historically, options for reconstruction include various xenografts as well as allografts. Omega3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Fish skin grafts have been well established in the management of other challenging clinical scenarios.1-5
Introduction
C
urrent treatments of partial and full thickness burns include various xeno and allografts. Allografts (cadaveric skin) will need to be removed and mammalian derived acellular grafts need harsh processing to decrease the risk of viral disease transmission. Recent advances in technology have made it possible to process fish sourced tissue with a more gentle process, making it safe for medical applications while preserving its intrinsic structure and biological benefits.
Methods In this case series, three burn patients aged 22 71 of various ethnicities, with burn wound sizes ranging from 3-19% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA), received FSGs (Omega3 GraftGuide, Kerecis, Ísafjörður, Iceland (Figure 1)) applied post debridement and/ or excision. The fish skin graft effects on wound healing were evaluated regarding time to wound closure, restoration of barrier function, and complications; level of pain was recorded.
Previously published clinical trials showed that full-thickness acute wounds treated with fish skin grafts (FSGs) healed significantly faster than wounds treated with porcine tissue.6-8 Figure 1: Kerecis Omega3 GraftGuide.
Dr Ariel M. Aballay Director, West Penn Burn Center Pittsburgh PA, United States
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Wound Masterclass - Vol 2 - March 2023
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