At Adana City Training and Research Hospital in southern Türkiye, human skin donations collected since last year are being processed and stored at the hospital’s Skin Bank and Tissue Laboratory, ready to be used for patients in need.
Established under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, this facility is the first and only skin bank in Türkiye and has become a critical resource for treating severe burn cases.
The center processes skin obtained from cosmetic surgeries as well as donations from deceased individuals, which can be stored for two to five years. These prepared skin tissues are transplanted to burn patients, providing essential coverage until new skin regenerates from their own cells.
The laboratory also supplies other hospitals with high-quality skin from its stock upon request, ensuring nationwide access to life-saving tissues.
Dr. Koray Daş, head of the burn center at Adana City Training and Research Hospital, emphasized that skin banks are central to health systems in many developed countries and play a crucial role during wars, terrorist attacks or large-scale accidents where multiple burn victims require urgent care.
Since its opening last year, the laboratory has been processing donated human skin intensively and has expanded its work to include the innermost layer of the placenta, known as the amniotic membrane. This membrane is widely used in burn and wound care as well as certain plastic surgery procedures. The laboratory produces it in two forms, one for live protection and another for long-term durability.
Daş explained that skin grafts, which involve transplanting tissue from one person to another, play a critical role in severe burn treatment. The center is also conducting studies on connective tissue scaffolds, enhancing its capacity to support complex reconstructive procedures.
Reporting production milestones, Daş stated: "We have reached 200,000 square centimeters of amniotic membrane, with a daily production capacity exceeding 5,000 square centimeters. For other skin derivatives, production has reached approximately 50,000-60,000 square centimeters. With continued donations and public awareness, we aim to reach a level sufficient for all of Türkiye.”
The hospital relies on donations from both cosmetic surgery patients and relatives of deceased individuals. Daş emphasized that the skin bank does not remove entire skin sections from the deceased; only thin layers from the back and legs are collected, leaving no visible marks.
"Skin donation is as critical as liver, kidney or cornea donation. When people understand that their contribution can save countless lives, from infants to adults, they are more willing to participate. Those wishing to donate can notify their hospitals, and we can process and utilize these tissues to save other lives,” he added.