Page 59 - Read Online

Pignet et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2024;11:40 Plastic and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-9264.2024.54
Aesthetic Research

Systematic Review Open Access

The use of acellular fish skin grafts in burns and
complex trauma wounds: a systematic review of

clinical data

1
1
Anna-Lisa Pignet 1,2 , Andrzej Hecker 1,2 , Tadej Voljc , Martina Carnieletto , Nikolaus Watzinger 2 ,
Lars- Peter Kamolz 1,2
1
Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036,
Austria.
2
COREMED - Center for Regenerative and Precision Medicine, Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Graz 8010,
Austria.
Correspondence to: Dr. Andrzej Hecker, Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery,
Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 29/4, Graz 8036, Austria. E-mail: andrzej.hecker@medunigraz.at

How to cite this article: Pignet AL, Hecker A, Voljc T, Carnieletto M, Watzinger N, Kamolz LP. The use of acellular fish skin grafts
in burns and complex trauma wounds: a systematic review of clinical data. Plast Aesthet Res 2024;11:40. https://dx.doi.org/10.
20517/2347-9264.2024.54

Received: 9 Apr 2024 First Decision: 1 Jul 2024 Revised: 31 Jul 2024 Accepted: 14 Aug 2024 Published: 23 Aug 2024
Academic Editor: Pietro Gentile Copy Editor: Pei-Yun Wang Production Editor: Pei-Yun Wang

Abstract
Aim: In the field of burns and soft tissue reconstruction, skin substitutes have been successfully used for various
indications. They allow for conservative treatment as well as temporal coverage through the improvement of
wound bed conditions, pathogen control and the formation of new tissue. Fish skin grafts (FSGs) have gained rising
attention as a new tool in the skin substitute market. This systematic review aims to provide an update on clinical
studies investigating the effects of FSG on healing for the following indications: donor sites of split-thickness skin
grafts, superficial and deep partial-thickness burns, full-thickness burns, combat wounds, and other acute wounds.

Methods: A systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature available as of January 2024 was conducted to
examine the effects of FSG on wound healing of burn and complex trauma wounds, using the databases PubMed
and Web of Science. Only clinical studies published in English were included.

Results: In total, 11 clinical studies were considered eligible and therefore included in the present review. According
to the available data, the main advantages of the two commonly used types of FSGs (Kerecis® Omega3 Wound
Matrix and Nile tilapia) are an acceleration of re-epithelialization time, a reduction in pain intensity and infection

© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

www.oaepublish.com/par