Potential release of aluminum and other metals by food-grade aluminum foil used for skin allograft cryo preservation

Since 1991, the skin bank of the Queen Astrid Military Hospital uses food-grade aluminum foil as a primary support for storing cryo preserved human donor skin (511 donors). The possible release of heavy metals into the cryo preservation media (30% (v/v) glycerol in physiological water) and the possible impact this release could have on the quality of the cryo preserved donor skin was evaluated. Aluminum was the principal detection target. Possible contaminants of the aluminum foil as such (arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead) were also investigated. The evaluation was set up after a Belgian Competent Authority inspection remark. Aluminum was detected at a concentration of 1.4 mg/l, arsenic and lead were not detected, while cadmium and chromium were detected in trace element quantities. An histological analysis revealed no differences between cryo preserved and fresh donor skin. No adverse reactions in patients, related to the presence of aluminum or heavy metal traces, were reported since the introduction of the cryo preserved donor skin in our burn wound centre

Glycerol treatment as recovery procedure for cryopreserved human skin allografts positive for bacteria and fungi

Human donor skin allografts are suitable and much used temporary biological (burn) wound dressings. They prepare the excised wound bed for final autografting and form an excellent substrate for revascularisation and for the formation of granulation tissue. Two preservation methods, glycerol preservation and cryopreservation, are commonly used by tissue banks for the long-term storage of skin grafts. The burn surgeons of the Queen Astrid Military Hospital preferentially use partly viable cryopreserved skin allografts. After mandatory 14-day bacterial and mycological culture, however, approximately 15% of the cryopreserved skin allografts cannot be released from quarantine because of positive culture. To maximize the use of our scarce and precious donor skin, we developed a glycerolisation-based recovery method for these culture positive cryopreserved allografts. The inactivation and preservation method, described in this paper, allowed for an efficient inactivation of the colonising bacteria and fungi, with the exception of spore-formers, and did not influence the structural and functional aspects of the skin allografts

Feeder layer- and animal product-free culture of neonatal foreskin keratinocytes: improved performance, usability, quality and safety

Since 1987, keratinocytes have been cultured at the Queen Astrid Military Hospital. These keratinocytes have been used routinely as auto and allografts on more than 1,000 patients, primarily to accelerate the healing of burns and chronic wounds. Initially the method of Rheinwald and Green was used to prepare cultured epithelial autografts, starting from skin samples from burn patients and using animal-derived feeder layers and media containing animal-derived products. More recently we systematically optimised our production system to accommodate scientific advances and legal changes. An important step was the removal of the mouse fibroblast feeder layer from the cell culture system. Thereafter we introduced neonatal foreskin keratinocytes (NFK) as source of cultured epithelial allografts, which significantly increased the consistency and the reliability of our cell production. NFK master and working cell banks were established, which were extensively screened and characterised. An ISO 9001 certified Quality Management System (QMS) governs all aspects of testing, validation and traceability. Finally, as far as possible, animal components were systematically removed from the cell culture environment. Today, quality controlled allograft production batches are routine and, due to efficient cryopreservation, stocks are created for off-the-shelf use. These optimisations have significantly increased the performance, usability, quality and safety of our allografts. This paper describes, in detail, our current cryopreserved allograft production process

Dermatite papuleuse de la grossesse

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Parasitic Invasion of Fusarium oxysporum in an Arterial Ulcer in an Otherwise Healthy Patient/Invasives, parasitisches Wachstum von Fusarium oxysporum in einem arteriellen Ulcus bei einem sonst gesunden Patienten

Summary: Fusarium oxysporum was isolated from a large necrotic foot ulcer in a 74 year old man. Histological sections showed angioinvasive hyphae in the necrotic zones and in the superficial dermis of the erythematous area surrounding the ulcer. Zusammenfassung: Fusarium oxysporum wurde von einem großen nekrotischen Ulcus des Fußes bei einem 74 Jahre alten Mann isoliert. Histologische Schnitte des nekrotischen Gewebes und der erythematösen Zone in der Umgebung des Ulcus zeigten invasives Wachstum der Hyphen, die in die Gefäße eindrangen. 1986 Blackwell Verlag GmbHSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Unusual clinical manifestation of a disfiguring necrobiotic granulomatous disease

A 39-year-old woman had a disfiguring granulomatous disease of 36 years' duration. Nodules appeared on her lower extremities and later extended to her face; this led to ulceration and destruction of the nasal cartilage. This disease of unknown origin does not conform to any previously described entity. Some patients with a similar case presentation have been observed in France. © 1995.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe