RBWH launches Queensland’s only Skin Culture Centre

Queenslanders suffering from serious burns will soon be able to grow their own skin thanks to the dedication and hard work of Australia’s top burns surgeons and scientists.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Cameron Dick said Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) would be home to Queensland’s only Skin Culture Centre, which will revolutionise recovery time and treatment for thousands of patients.

“RBWH’s remarkable burns surgery team is internationally-renowned, treating around 450 badly burned patients every year,” Mr Dick said.

“It already has one of the lowest mortality rates in the world but the skin culture centre will further improve outcomes for traumatically injured Queenslanders.

“Not only will patients be able to recover faster from serious burns injuries, they’ll be able to go home quicker – a great outcome using the very best burns treatment in the southern hemisphere.”

RBWH Director of Burns Dr Michael Rudd said with just a 50 cent piece size skin biopsy, the centre would be able to grow enough skin to cover 70 per cent of a patient’s body within three weeks.

“Currently, we use donor skin for patients who are badly burnt which buys us and the patient precious time when there isn’t enough of their own skin to use in surgery,” Dr Rudd said.

“Our new centre will use a patient’s own cells to produce skin. This new technique will improve the time skin takes to heal from weeks to a matter of days and that means a shorter stay in hospital, reduced chances of infection and a faster recovery.”

Metro North Hospital and Health Service Board Chair Dr Robert Stable AM said the centre was the next frontier in burns treatment.

“Our dedicated burns team has worked hard for several years to have the centre up and running. We’re excited by the possibilities this will have for many of our patients.

“We are happy the centre will be fully operational in a matter of weeks.”

Queensland Skin Culture Centre Production Manager Dr Peter Gillies said the advantages of having an on-site skin culture centre would be significant.

“There will be no delay while waiting for skin to be transported from an outside facility and quality is optimised by culturing the skin ourselves,” Dr Gillies said.

“The new skin culture centre will also enable our burns team to better respond to large scale disasters such as the Ravenshoe explosion and the 2002 Bali bombing.”

RBWH’s Stuart Pegg Adult Burns Centre is the largest of its kind in Australia and New Zealand.