Cod skin to regenerate human skin

“I was facing a disastrous situation: a child had a hole of about twelve centimeters in diameter on his head, the bone could become infected, and the wound needed to be closed as soon as possible. So, I decided to try this new product made from fish skin. Six weeks after application, the wound was closed, a process that would normally have lasted several months,” says Professor Anthony de Buys Roessingh, Chief Surgeon of Child and Adolescent Surgery at CHUV. 

In the northern Atlantic, cod is initially fished for consumption. But Kerecis, a company based in Isafjordur, in northern Iceland, has decided to harvest the skin of these fish, considered as waste, to transform it into a bandage that promotes healing. These fish skins act as a framework to help new human skin cells colonize the void left by wounds. On a microscopic scale, the skin structure of this white fish is similar to that of humans and has several medical benefits: the absence of living cells reduces the risk of rejection. This method also ensures greater resistance to viruses. 

Cod skin as artificial dermis

The product is lyophilized and requires a short rehydration before use. A machine allows the skin to be perforated evenly to create a kind of net, thus increasing the area of the dressing to cover large wounds. Upon contact with human skin, the cod-based fabric gels and acts as an artificial dermis. 

This solution is considered useful, but it is unlikely to displace conventional methods. “Great effectiveness is noted on deep wounds if muscle is missing or if a tendon needs to be covered. It is an excellent intermediate fabric to facilitate reconstruction. This product is now CHUV-approved and used in addition to existing methods. In the case of severe burns, skin cells cannot cover this artificial dermis, and a skin graft from the injured person’s skin is necessary to complete the treatment. At CHUV, the cell production center (CPC) is used to multiply skin cells from severe burn victims before transplantation,” says the surgeon.

After three years of use with promising results, Professor Anthony De Buys Roessingh is ready to expand his application. “This product could be used in all areas requiring tissue reconstruction. Indeed, cod skin is currently being tested for maxillofacial surgery.”