Ohio State University's Medical Center is introducing a new treatment for burn victims that reduces pain and recovery time with spray-on skin cells.
Doctor Ian Valerio of the Burn, Wound and Trauma program says surgeons take a postage stamp-size piece of skin and place it in a special solution, which breaks it down into its components.
Valerio says the approach, which was approved by the FDA last year, will be especially helpful for patients with extensive burns.
Valerio says taking a significantly smaller piece of skin than traditionally needed for grafts means less pain, less risk of secondary infection, and faster healing times. Because the process takes place in the operating room, rather than growing skin in a lab, the patient is treated and begins recovery more quickly.