Hope for Burn, Cancer Victims from New Artificial Skin-Producing Method

A brand new technique to mass produce artificial skin that may offer life-changing hope to burn victims, cancer patients and those recovering from surgery has been mooted by a German firm.

According to PopSci.com, Germany's Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft science institute developed the technique to make the artificial skin, which is more affordable than similar ones in use now.

It relies on computers that control the solution in which the skin grows.

These computers also check the vats for infection, guide the blade that cuts the little swatches of skin, and tests the final product to make sure it meets standards.

Medical experts say that the new artificial skin is complete with blood vessels, which sets it apart from older types of artificial ones.

"Doctors will be able to cover large areas with skin. With other artificial skin, the body would reject it. But this skin, with a viable blood supply, could be a long-term solution for many patients," the New York Daily News quoted Dr. Kelly Nelson, assistant professor in dermatology at Duke University, as saying.

It's estimated that the skin production system could produce 5,000 swatches of skin every month, which comes to more than 600 square inches of mass-produced tissue.

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Every 0.12-square-inch section of skin would cost around 49 dollars to produce.

Dr. Michael Eidelman, dermatologist at Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Vincent's Medical Center, says that burn victims and skin cancer patients stand to benefit the most from the new skin.

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Source-ANI
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