PLASTIC SURGERY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23261, 24 July 1945, Page 5

PLASTIC SURGERY

A British Advance LONDON, June 25. A plastic surgeon of the R.A.F. has developed a method by which skin can be stored and used later to repair wounds. He is Squadron Leader D. N Matthews, medical officer in charge ol an R.A.F. Plastic Unit. An outstanding advantage of the new method is that it reduces the number of operations and uiin both physical and mental, under- ! cone liv oaticnls suffering from major I facial and body Injuries. Hitherto, the I time factor involved in skin grafting on j to a number of areas necessitated a series ot operations. Under the skin storage method the only operation necessary is a short one needed to cut the skin. Later the skin can be applied at the bedside without ..using an anm -M l'.i'i ic since it is ’ ulm-cl ’ m-’ -’ .u! being stitched, reports, the British medical journal “Lancet.” Pointing out that the “donor areaplace from which good skin is cut—often causes more pain afterwards than the actual field of operation, Squadron Loader Matthews states that skin storage will cut down the number of donor areas needed. It will also provide spate skin in ease the graft partially fails to ■rake.” The skin is pres-- ; -ved in stenlo airtight bottles placed in a refrigerator