when did they start using tilapia skin for burn treatment

Full Answer

Can tilapia skin be used as a new treatment for Burns?

In the search of new therapies for burns, the skin of Brazil's most cultivated fish, the Nile tilapia, which was mostly a waste product (although sometimes used as a resistant material for artisanal handicraft), was suggested as a possibility for the development of a low-cost xenograft.

What research is being done on tilapia skin?

Along with the clinical trials, in Brazil, researchers are conducting historical studies to compare the composition of tilapia, human, frog, and pig skins. Also, they are conducting studies on the costs of conventional burn treatments and tilapia skin.

How long do tilapia Skins last?

The researchers from the Federal University of Ceara were the first to study the initial batches of tilapia. Before packaging and refrigerating the skins, the lab technicians used different sterilizing agents and radiated the skins to kill viruses. In this way, these skins can last for up to two years.

Is tilapia a potential xenograft for the management of burn wounds?

Tilapia skin has non-infectious microbiota, high amounts of type I collagen, and similar morphological structure to human skin, so it has been suggested as a potential xenograft for the management of burn wounds.

Why is tilapia skin used on burn victims?

Tilapia skin is a frugal and effective option to treat patients with second- and third-degree burns. This fish skin contains large amounts of moisture and type I collagen proteins at levels comparable to human skin. This prevents scarring while promoting the healing of wounds.

When were fish skin grafts invented?

The earliest known split-thickness skin grafting method was developed by Ollier in 1872. His results revealed not only a faster healing but also less scar formation and therefore less scar contractures by covering the whole wound surface with skin grafts.

Why do they put fish skin on burns?

Fish skin has been used for the first time as a biological wound dressing for the second- and third-degree burns of humans in Brazil. No dressing changes were required as frequently as the gauze. Moreover, fish skin dressing enhanced the wound healing process and reduced the need for pain medications [9].

When was burn treatment invented?

In the 4th century BC, Hippocrates recorded that Greek and Roman doctors used rendered pig fat, resin and bitumen to treat burns. Mixture of honey and bran, or lotion of wine and myrrh were used by Celsus.

Why was skin grafting invented?

The technique of skin harvesting and transplantation was initially described approximately 2500-3000 years ago with the Hindu Tilemaker Caste, in which skin grafting was used to reconstruct noses that were amputated as a means of judicial punishment.

Does fish skin heal wounds faster?

Fish skin contains a lot of collagen, which can assist healing, and is antibacterial, preventing infections [1]. These properties and more result in expedited healing time and a decreased need for pain medication.

Does fish skin work better than bandages?

Tilapia skin contains a type of collagen that is similar to the protein found in human skin. Using fish skin to heal burns can be cheaper and less painful than bandages, says a scientist.

How does tilapia skin work?

While tilapia skin is still in the experimental stage of medical use, doctors claim it holds high levels of moisture and type I collagen protein found in human skin. These factors facilitate the skin's natural wound healing response, making tilapia skin attractive to patients and doctors.

Is tilapia skin edible?

As long as fish have been properly cleaned and the outer scales fully removed, the skin is typically safe to eat. Because fish is a great source of nutrients like iron and omega-3 fatty acids, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends eating a 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of fish 2–3 times per week ( 2 ).

How did they treat burns in the 1800s?

There were two major methods of treating burns during Montgomery's time: application of cold product to produce cooling effects and/or application of some sort of stimulating substance. For Montgomery, dressing changes and oil applications were essential elements.

How were burns treated in the 1950s?

In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and into the mid-1980s, burn wounds were treated by the exposure method, with application of topical antimicrobials to the burn wound surface and gradual debridement with immersion hydrotherapy.

How did pioneers treat burns?

The most effective traditional approach to treating burns was to coat the burned skin with egg white, as this provided a sterile seal for the skin and helped keep the wound from drying out.

How long does tilapia take to heal?

The tilapia treatment can speed up healing by several days and reduces the need for pain medication, the Brazilian researchers say. University lab technicians treated the fish skin with various sterilizing agents, and sent it to São Paulo for irradiation to kill viruses before packaging and refrigeration. Once cleaned and treated, it can last ...

Where is tilapia found?

Tilapia is abundant in Brazil's rivers and fish farms, which are expanding rapidly as demand grows for the mildly flavored freshwater fish. Scientists at the Federal University of Ceara in northern Brazil have found that tilapia skin has moisture, collagen and disease resistance at levels comparable to human skin, and can aid in healing.

How often should I change tilapia bandages?

He says the tilapia skin treatment is more effective than bandages that need to be changed every two days. The fish skin has high levels of collagen type 1, stays moist longer than gauze, and does not need to be changed frequently.

Can tilapia be peeled?

The tilapia skin, which has dried out and loosened from the burn, can be peeled away. "Use the tilapia skin. It's excellent," Janio said. "It takes the pain away. You do not need to take medicine. In my case, I did not need it, thank God.". Morais said that the tilapia skin treatment costs 75 percent less than the sulfadiazine cream typically used ...

Is tilapia available in Brazil?

Instead, gauze bandage, which needs regular changing - often painfully - is the norm. Tilapia is abundant in Brazil's rivers and fish farms, which are expanding rapidly as demand grows for ...

Can tilapia fish be used for burns?

Researchers in Brazil are experimenting with a new treatment for severe burns using the skin of tilapia fish, an unorthodox procedure they say can ease the pain of victims and cut medical costs. Frozen pig skin and even human tissue have long been placed on burns to keep them moist and allow the transfer of collagen, a protein that promotes healing.

Is tilapia skin treatment cheaper than sulfadiazine?

Morais said that the tilapia skin treatment costs 75 percent less than the sulfadiazine cream typically used on burn patients in Brazil, as it is a cheap fish-farming waste product. The researchers hope the treatment will prove commercially viable and encourage businesses to process tilapia skin for medical use. Reuters.

How does tilapia skin help burns?

Before it can be used on a patient, tilapia skin must go through a sterilization process that removes germs and smells. The skin can then be applied directly to the burn site like a bandage. It helps to soothe pain and reduce healing time by several days. While tilapia skin is still in the experimental stage of medical use, doctors claim it holds high levels of moisture and type I collagen protein found in human skin. These factors facilitate the skin’s natural wound healing response, making tilapia skin attractive to patients and doctors.

How to treat burns with skin grafts?

During a skin graft, a doctor will extract a thin layer of skin from another part of the patient’s body and place it over the burn site. The layer of skin will be situated on the burn with surgical staples or stitches to hold it in place. During the entire skin graft process, the patient will be under anesthesia so he or she won’t feel any pain. After several days, the skin graft will begin to form new skin over the wound site. The downfall with skin grafts is that, the larger the burn area, the larger the portion of healthy skin must be extracted from the patient. If the burn area is too great a size, there won’t be enough healthy skin left to form a complete graft.

Is tilapia skin a viable alternative to tilapia skin?

But because these options are often expensive, and sometimes unviable, tilapia skin has become a viable alternative. Hopefully, with more clinical research, tilapia skin will be used by doctors in other parts of the world.

Can pigs be used as skin grafts?

Synthetic pigskin. If a patient has had burns on a significant portion of his or her body, there won’t be enough healthy skin to use as a skin graft. In such a case, donor skin is the next best thing. The skin of genetically-modified pigs can be harvested by scientists and used to treat burn victims.

Is tilapia skin a human skin?

While tilapia skin is still in the experimental stage of medical use, doctors claim it holds high levels of moisture and type I collagen protein found in human skin. These factors facilitate the skin’s natural wound healing response, making tilapia skin attractive to patients and doctors. Traditionally, gauze bandages and human donor skin have been ...

Is tilapia a phase 3 drug?

The present study is a Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial aiming to evaluate the efficacy of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) skin as an occlusive biological dressing in the treatment of superficial partial-thickness burns in adults.

Does tilapia skin have tensile strength?

Nile Tilapia Fish Skin did not present variations in its microscopic structure and tensile strength after glycerolization, irradiation and posterior rehydration, recovering its natural consistency after glycerol removal. Other Name: Tilapia Skin.

Abstract

Skin substitutes are considered a useful alternative for occlusive dressings in the treatment of superficial burns as they reduce the frequency of dressing replacement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a randomized, monocentric, open-label, phase II clinical study conducted in Fortaleza, Brazil, from October 2016 to September 2017. The local Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved the study protocol and informed consent.

RESULTS

A total of 62 participants completed the study: 23 were allocated to arm A (10 in the control group and 13 in the test group), 19 were allocated to arm B (10 in the control group and 09 in the test group), and 20 were allocated to arm C (10 in the control group and 10 in the test group).

Discussion

Complete healing is expected within 2 weeks for SPTB and usually takes longer than 3 weeks for DPTB.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the researchers and technical support staff of the Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM) of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) and the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (IPEN-SP).

Funding

The present study received no external financial aid of any kind from pharmaceutical companies or foundations supported by entities that could be perceived to have a financial stake in the outcomes. All funding was obtained from Brazilian government agencies.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interests to disclose.

Abstract

• Introduction: Burn is one of the greatest aggressions the body can suffer. The approach varies according to the degree of the burn, since the use of chlorhexidine, silver sulfadiazine, debridement of necrotic tissue, biosynthetic dressings and artificial skins. However, these latter …

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