The Survival of Human Skin Stored by Refrigeration at 4°C in McCoyʼs 5A Medium: Does Oxygenation of the Medium Improve Storage Time?

Abstract

To establish the viable storage time of human skin stored by refrigeration at 4 degrees C in McCoy's 5A medium and to establish whether oxygenating the medium improves the viable storage time, the following experiment was conducted. Eighty discs of human split-thickness skin graft, each 3 mm in diameter, were stored in 40 sterile sealable containers under four different conditions: in 0.9% saline, in McCoy's 5A medium, in oxygenated McCoy's 5A medium, and in carbon dioxide supplemented McCoy's 5A medium. Skin graft viability was assessed using tissue culture. Skin stored in saline was viable for only 1 week, whereas skin stored in McCoy's 5A medium and in oxygenated McCoy's 5A medium was viable for 4 weeks. Skin stored in carbon dioxide supplemented McCoy's 5A solution did not even survive the first week. These findings show that McCoy's 5A medium allows at least 4 weeks of viable human skin storage by refrigeration at 4 degrees C. Furthermore, oxygenating the medium does not seem to improve the viable storage time, and carbon dioxide supplementation is detrimental. The advantages of skin storage by refrigeration and the implications of the above findings are discussed. A clinical case in which split-thickness skin was stored for approximately 5 weeks and still resulted in good graft take is quoted as an example of our experience with the use of McCoy's 5A medium.

Storage Conditions of Skin Affect Tissue Structure and Subsequent in vitro Percutaneous Penetration

“…Skin samples are therefore stored until experimental procedures can be initiated. Skin samples may be kept viable at 4 ° C for 2-4 weeks [1] . Though gradually losing their metabolic capacity within days [2] , the physical characteristics responsible for barrier properties in relation to passive diffusion across the skin persist for a longer period of time [3] .…”

Delayed Skin Grafting Utilizing Autologous Banked Tissue

“…11 It consists of preserving any excess skin grafts taken for possible use at a later date by folding them in half, dermis-to-dermis, and rolling them in moist gauze to store at 4°C. [12][13][14][15] Skin graft viability and take has been reported for up to 5 weeks. 11 Multiple methods of skin storage mediums and methods have been investigated.…”

“…11 Multiple methods of skin storage mediums and methods have been investigated. [12][13][14][15] This has lead to the common practice of most large Plastic Surgery units possessing a designated refrigerator for storage of excess graft. An alternative to this in some settings may be patient storage.…”

Skin Graft Preservation

“…The main reason for this variance may be criteria incompatible and the absence of reliable detection methods of early research especially before 1970. The storage of skin grafts in a 4 refrigerator is a simple and practicable technique; however, the skin showed a very slow viability decrease with time stored at 4 (Chang et al, 1998;DeBono et al, 1998;DeLW, 1980;Matsuka et al, 1993;. The preservation time of fresh skin should not exceed 3 days when stored in normal saline and must be used within two weeks even when stored in tissue culture media with 10% serum.…”