Successful skin homografting from an identical twin in a severely burned patient

J Burn Care Res. 2014 May-Jun;35(3):e177-9. doi: 10.1097/BCR.0b013e3182957572.

Abstract

Flame burns are a serious condition and usually have high morbidity and mortality because they affect large areas of the body surface as well as the lungs. In these patients, it is especially difficult to find healthy skin for grafting if they have more than 70% third-degree burns. Repeated autografting or synthetic wound care materials are the only treatment options to cover burned areas. Partial-thickness skin grafting from the patient's identical twin sibling may be an alternative treatment option, if possible. Here, we report a patient with severe flame injury treated with skin from his identical twin. The patient had third-degree burns covering 70% of his body surface. Initial treatment consisted of fluid and electrolyte replacement, daily wound care, and surgical debridements, as well as nutritional support. After initial treatment, we performed a successful skin grafting from his identical twin. Skin grafting between identical twins might be an alternate method for severely burned patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational*
  • Adult
  • Burns, Chemical / etiology
  • Burns, Chemical / surgery*
  • Burns, Chemical / therapy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Critical Care / methods
  • Debridement / methods
  • Fuel Oils / adverse effects*
  • Graft Survival
  • Humans
  • Injury Severity Score
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Male
  • Petroleum / adverse effects
  • Risk Assessment
  • Skin Transplantation / methods*
  • Time Factors
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Twins, Monozygotic*
  • Wound Healing / physiology

Substances

  • Fuel Oils
  • Petroleum