Use of dry human and bovine amnion as a biological dressing
T. V. Rao and V. Chandrasekharam
A new method of drying and sterilizing the amnion extends the life of the
product to more than nine months and enables it to be stored at room
temperature. The bovine amnion is unique and the first of its kind, there
being no comparable series in the literature, to our knowledge. Bovine
amnion has a large surface area and can provide bulk supplies. The membrane
as prepared has been tested in 12 rabbits experimentally and in 70 patients
of different ages with a variety of surgical lesions, mainly burns. More
than 150 applications of the dried amnion have been made as the sole
dressing for these patients. The results indicate that amnion, both human
and bovine, is quite safe and effective as a biological dressing. The dried
material retains all the physical and biological characteristics of the
fresh membrane.
