Anjay Khandelwal, MD, leads Akron Children’s Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute.
Akron Children’s Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute, supported by The Paul and Carol David Foundation, is the only burn center in Ohio that is routinely using an innovative treatment known as the RECELL® System for second and third degree burns on adult and pediatric patients. Treatment with the RECELL System involves taking a small, thin skin sample from a burned patient, which is then immersed in a proprietary enzymatic solution to create a spray-on skin. The spray-on skin is applied evenly across the entire wound bed to regenerate skin cells and promote faster healing with less pain and scarring.
“Apart from benefits in third degree burns, our studies have shown that second degree burns treated with spray-on skin are 25 times more likely to heal by 10 days than with current, standard management, with zero infections and a 79% reduction in scarring,” said Anjay Khandelwal, MD, director, Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute. “Patients can also expect a shorter length of stay in the hospital, fewer dressing changes and a decreased need for narcotic pain medications.”
Spray-on-skin can also eliminate the need for traditional skin grafts that result in more pain and scarring, as well as longer hospital stays and recoveries.
As the only burn center in Ohio that is routinely using an innovative treatment known as the RECELL® System for second and third degree burns on adult and pediatric patients, Akron Children’s is promoting faster healing with less pain and scarring.
Following treatment with spray-on skin, the wounds are covered with an artificial skin, a technique pioneered by the burn team at Akron Children’s, to protect the wound and help new skin grow.
“The combination of spray-on and artificial skin almost eliminates the need for painful dressing changes at home,” said Dr. Khandelwal.
Akron Children’s Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute provides specialized inpatient and outpatient care for burn victims of all ages throughout northeast Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Burn Institute is also internationally recognized for its commitment to comprehensive burn care and is verified by the American Burn Association.
Other recent advancements that the Burn Institute routinely provides to adult and pediatric patients include advanced skin substitutes, innovative approaches to pain management and the most comprehensive burn reconstruction/scar management – including using the most advanced laser therapy of any burn center in the multi-state region. This unique combination of dual laser therapy can decrease pain and itching, as well as decrease scar tissue to improve function and appearance.
Other innovative treatments in the Burn Institute include the most advanced laser therapy.
Care in the Burn Institute is provided through an innovative combined burn-critical care-plastic surgery model with a dedicated multidisciplinary team that includes nurses, therapists, nutritionist, pharmacist, social work/case management, anesthesia, palliative care, psychology, child-life and chaplaincy. Akron Children’s Burn Institute is also at the forefront of burn research, participating in several pivotal research projects and presenting at national and international conferences.
To learn more or refer a patient, visit Akron Children’s Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute.
