In a significant achievement, AIIMS Bhubaneswar reported a major breakthrough in allograft on two critically burned minor children.

Allograft is a tissue graft from a donor of the same species as the recipient (but not genetically identical) and it can give someone a new lease of life.
Six-year-old Shravani Mallick of Kesura in Bhubaneswar was playing on the rooftop of her building on June 9 when she came in contact with a live electricity wire. Both her hands got severely burnt. She was admitted to Capital Hospital first and then shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Advertisement

However, her family was disheartened when the doctors said that saving her was almost difficult even after the amputation of her two hands. Following the last ray of hope, her family took her to the Burns Centre at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
Runulata Mallick, mother of Sharavani, beaming happiness, said, “The doctors at Cuttack told us that it was difficult to save her. She was treated at AIIMS and recovered.”
In another case, 7-year-old Suryakant of Puri came into contact with a live electricity wire, after which he sustained burns all over his body except the face. The doctors at the district headquarters hospital in Puri could not ensure a full recovery. His family brought him to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.

Pratima Swain, mother of Suryakant, shedding tears of gratitude and happiness, said, “I had lost all hope for my son. I left his fate to Lord Jagannath. He is now well. The AIIMS doctors are like gods.”

Harapriya Bal, nursing in-charge, AIIMS Burns Centre, observed, “Burns are the most painful experience in life. The two kids used to pray for death due to burns. They were given all emotional support to boost their morale before the treatment.”
In situations like these, skin allograft is the only alternative for severe burn patients. However, the AIIMS has no skin bank. The hope of treatment for the two kids was fading. Fortunately, at that time, a skin was brought from Mumbai for treatment of another patient at AIIMS. But the patient died. His family donated his skin to the Burns Centre in AIIMS.
Though the hands of Shravani were amputated, she recovered well after allograft. “We have the facility of autograft, but allograft was done for the first time here. It is a great achievement. We saved their lives,” Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, said.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of a team of doctors, the AIIMS Bhubaneswar, got the first such success in allograft. The team behind this breakthrough comprised the Head of the Plastic Surgery department Dr Sanjay Giri, Executive Director of AIIMS Professor Ashutosh Biswas and Associate Professor of the Plastic Surgery department, Dr Ranjit Sahu.
The team exuded hope that after this success in allograft, a skin bank will be set up at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar. Dr Ranjit Sahu said that this would send a message to people that allograft can be done with the donation of skins.