The Advantages and Controversies of Allograft Skin
Skin is one of the most complex organs of the human bodies. Not only is it one of the largest organs contained in the human body spanning up to 22 square feet, it contains many sweat glands, blood vessels, and nerve endings. The skin on the palms of the hand and the soles of the feet is the thickest, but in most places of the body it measures about 0.10 inches thick. Human skin performs multiple functions. Not only does it form barriers against both internal and external pathogens in the environment, it contains many nerve endings that interpret both heat and cold vibration. Skin regulates heat loss, helps prevent water loss, and aids in the interpretation of mood, physical state, and beauty. The two layers of skin are the epidermis that protects against environmental assaults, and the dermis that allows skin to be elastic, strong and durable. Unlike animals, human skin does not contain an underlying muscle sheath. A massive injury to the skin caused by a chemical spill or fire can be a devastating occurrence, both physically as well as mentally. Injuries to the skin can cause the patient to be exposed to infection, heat loss and even death. After a full-thickness injury the epidermis can regenerate, but the dermis heals by forming granulation tissue, later developing into scar tissue. Scar tissue can lead to disfigurement and can cause the skin to become less elastic. When determining possible skin transplantation in full thickness wounds, autograft skin (skin taken from a patient’s own body) cannot be utilized if a wound covers a large percentage of the body. Allograft skin (collagen in skin harvested from cadavers) offers better success in surgery, as it is che...
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In the book “Death's Acre”, By Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson they tell readers how they got to where they are today in their careers and how Dr. Bill Bass became famous for the well known “Body Farm” at the University of Tennessee. In “Deaths Acre” Bass invites people across the world who are reading to go behind the gates of the body farm where he revolutionized forensic anthropology. Bass takes us on a journey on how he went from not knowing if this is what he wanted to do for a living to being in a career that he would never trade. He tells us about the Lindbergh kidnapping and murder, explored the headless corpse of a person whose identity shocked many people included the police, divulges how the telltale traces and case
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Skin grafting is a taking skin from a healthy part of the body, and transplanting it onto another part of the body that has been severely damaged, for example, a third degree burn. The grafting serves two purposes: firstly, to reduce the course of treatment needed (including time spent at the hospital), and secondly, to improve the function and appearance of the area of the body which will receive skin grafting.
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Trauma is defined as “a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time” (Merriam-Webster). Many veterans experience trauma from the traumatic events they see in war or from the multiple terms they served in. An example of a traumatic event is depicted in an article titled “Caring for Veterans”.
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Instead, state governments should provide more funding and training for county coroner’s so they can do their jobs well with the proper facilities and equipment. Coroners are important elected officials and should not be replaced by appointed medical examiners who are not accountable to the public (“Coroners and Forensic Science”). Electing coroners with little medical experience and allowing them to perform autopsies with no real regulatory oversight is a deeply flawed and outdated method for conducting death investigations. As stated in the article, “autopsies should be performed only by licensed physicians, preferably those specializing in forensic pathology, and in offices run by certified medical examiners (“Coroners and Forensic Science”).” Furthermore, the U.S. should have a federal department that can impose a uniform set of standards for death investigation in every county, instead of the confusing hodgepodge of systems it has
Trauma is the fourth leading cause of death overall for all ages in the United States. Trauma is
“Living with Burn Trauma,” an online article, states that “human skin is the largest organ of the body.” It provides many functions which assist humans to survive. What happens if this vital organ is destroyed? This is a question with which thousands of Americans are challenged annually. In the United States alone, 4,000 people die in burn accidents or from complications of burn injuries (“Prevention”). One common misconception is that burn victims have all come into contact with flames. Burns result from fires, electricity, hot liquids, chemicals, and even ultraviolet rays. Seeking medical attention for a proper diagnosis is critical to ensuring quality treatment and management of burns. Burn Centers have been established to help patients adapt to life after burns, which can be a great challenge. In today’s society, hospitals and medical professionals can treat burn victims, but the best remedy for burns is prevention.
Since homicide is a crime in which a life has been ended, it is highly important the investigation surrounding a homicide be taken seriously and be completed effectively. That is, it is critical for the investigator(s), and other branches of the investigation, to be highly trained in preserving a crime scene, as well as interpreting the evidence left at a crime scene, or surrounding the investigation. There are various techniques available to aid in the examination of a homicide crime scene, but none more importantly than what could be told be the body.