Role of cost-effective indigenous autologous skin cell suspension for extensive burn wound management

ABSTRACT Introduction: Traditional burn management involves early excision and grafting, which often necessitate extensive donor sites, leading to increased morbidity and longer recovery times. Autologous skin cell suspension has emerged as an innovative technique for addressing these challenges, offering a promising alternative for extensive burns by enhancing wound healing and reducing donor site requirements. This study presents a novel, cost-effective method for preparing autologous skin cell suspension using lipoaspirate. Methodology: A 42-year-old male with 45% thermal burns due to a gas cylinder explosion was treated with surgical excision. Liposuction was carried out and the fat graft was processed via centrifugation. A 5 cm × 5 cm full-thickness skin graft was harvested from the same site, derma-abraded, and combined with the processed lipoaspirate to create an autologous skin cell suspension. This suspension was sprayed onto the excised wound bed. Results: The indigenous method demonstrated the potential to effectively manage extensive burn injuries with minimal donor site morbidity. Adipose-derived stem cells within the lipoaspirate exhibited regenerative properties which enhanced wound healing. This approach synergized the benefits of lipoaspirate and epidermal cell suspension. Compared to commercial systems like RECELL, this method proved to be significantly more cost-effective and feasible in resource-limited settings. Conclusion: The innovative preparation of autologous skin cell suspension using lipoaspirate represents a practical and economical alternative for burn wound management.