Q: I saw something online about doctors using fish scales to treat wounds and in surgeries. What is this treatment?
A: It does sound strange but, yes, fish scales are being used in several applications to help patients heal from diabetic wounds and burns and to ensure sutures during surgeries do not leak. It’s even used in neurosurgeries to help the dura matter heal.
The product is called Kerecis, and it is a piece of intact fish scales. When grafted onto damaged human tissue such as a burn or wound, the material recruits the body’s own cells and is, over time, converted into living tissue. It can replace mammalian skin grafts which can have religious and cultural barriers. It also has no known risk of disease transfer and better infection control.
It can also be used in surgical situations where traditionally synthetic mesh is like hernia repair or breast reconstruction. There’s less chance of post-operative rejection of the fish scales compared to the synthetic mesh and the body will slowly absorb the material as it heals reducing the chance of complications.
Kerecis can replace porcine and other mammalian skin grafting materials which must be heavily processed to reduce the risk of infection and disease transmission. The fish skin is non-allergenic and bio-compatible with our bodies. It’s an exciting and new way to help our bodies heal.
– Dr. Chris LeSar, Vascular Institute of Chattanooga; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society