cultured skin
Laboratory-grown skin cells used as grafts for large burn wounds when donor sites are limited.
Full Definition
Skin tissue grown in laboratory conditions from a small sample of the patient's own cells (autologous) or from donor cells (allogeneic). This technology is particularly valuable for patients with massive burns where traditional skin grafting is limited by insufficient donor sites. The process typically takes 3-4 weeks to grow enough tissue for grafting. Cultured skin can include epidermis alone or both epidermal and dermal components. While providing coverage for large wounds, cultured skin is fragile, expensive, and may not provide the same durability as traditional skin grafts. It represents an important advancement in treating patients with burns covering more than 50% of their body surface.
Usage
Usage note: Specify whether autologous or allogeneic when documenting.
In Context
- "Cultured skin grafting was planned once the wound bed was prepared." — Surgical plan
- "The cultured skin showed 85% take rate at two weeks post-grafting." — Follow-up examination