Determination of viability of preserved skin in low temperature

The skin from fresh human cadavers was stored in 4-18 degree C refrigerator. Before it was grafted for treatment of burn patients, it was quickly put into 40 degree C water and bring back to a former condition. The survival rate of skin was related with time and temperature of store. We used oxygen consumption to observe the change of viability of preserved skin. Oxygen consumption of skin was observed with apparatus made in the 304th Hospital of Peoples Liberation Army. The operating temperature was 5 - 45 degree C. Determination range was 0 - 199 mm Hg, resolving power of digital display was I mm Hg, instrumental error < 0.5 s'. Fresh human cadavers skin was made into 0.3 - 0.4 mm thick piece. Cleaned with NaCl 0.9% for three time. Then it was kept in neomycin solution for fifteen minutes. Then cut into 0.5 x 0.5 cm slices and stored in neomycin (2mg/ml). The skin was stored in 4 degree C refrigerator for five different periods (1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days). Then the Oxygen consumption was determined immediately. The oxygen consumption was also determined before and after it was stored for 24 hours. After the skin was stored in 4 and -18 degree C for 24 hours the oxygen consumption was determined immediately. The prepared skin, which was stored in ordinary refrigerator, was useful and simple. The preserved skin was grafted onto the bum patient and survival rate was high and in short time. But the result showed the viability of preserved skin reduced with time. The result showed that the oxygen consumption of skin, which was stored at 4 degree C, on the fifth day was 62.23% and on day 7 was 30.5%. The study showed that the preserved skin which was stored at 4 degree C for five days was better while the vitality of skin evidently reduced after seven days and the survival rate was low. The oxygen consumption of preserved skin that was stored in -18 degree C refrigerator for 24 hours was 100%. But in 4 degree C refrigerator it was 89.1%. The result showed that the preservation temperature was important and the lower the better as the survival rate was high. Also results showed that the skin could be stored for a long period of time. There are still many necessary conditions and influential factors for preservation of skin in low temperature. However, no discussion on it was made in this experiment