Posted on 03/02/2012 7:27:41 PM PST by beaversmom
A TODDLER who suffered horrific burns has made a full recovery after undergoing pioneering new surgery - which saw doctors SPRAY a new layer of skin on him.
Two-year-old Zed Merrick was left with second degree burns across his chest and shoulder after knocking a cup of tea off a kitchen worktop.
His mother Nicky Merrick, 33, feared he would be left with horrendous scars for the rest of his life.
But doctors carried out a "revolutionary" new treatment where they made a solution from Zed's own skin cells and sprayed it over his burns.
And just four months after the life-changing treatment Zed's burns have completely disappeared - leaving him scar free.
Yesterday Nicky said the result was "incredible" and she hopes Zed will now be able to forget the trauma of the accident.
She said: "This new procedure made a huge difference to Zed and we just want to promote it so that other people can receive it too.
"The first time they took the bandages off we were just like 'wow' - the way it worked so quickly was incredible.
"In a normal procedure Zed would have had to have his bandages changed almost every day which can be very painful.
"We just want to say thank you to the surgeons for helping our little boy, I never dreamed he could look like this again."
Zed suffered his horrific burns on October 13 last year at home in Ulceby, Lincs, where he lives with his businesswoman mother Nicola and father Chunky, a sound-engineer.
Nicky said: "It happened within seconds, Zed is like lightning, I just couldn't believe it - it was like every parent's worst nightmare.
"My mum was with us and she took his shirt off him and bits of his skin peeled off with...
(Excerpt) Read more at thesun.co.uk ...
Great story. There is one thing that doesn’t make sense though. At the end of the story, they mention that it is still rare because it is so expensive.
But the cost they give is 5000 pounds for the treatment, and 800 pounds for the “reCell machine”. That seems very inexpensive to me, compared to the cost of multiple skin graft operations.
So maybe I’m missing something.
It definitely seems like it would save money in the long run not to mention pain and scars.
Thanks, I’ll check it out now.
Neat video—pretty amazing what they are able to do.
this MUST get the Nobel prize for medicine
unless ithe Nobel committee only awards to useless twits these days
Barry Soetoro please pick up a white courtesy phone.
I think this is great. I also wonder about people who have had to go through all the skin grafts. I wonder if there is any way they can use this technology to improve their situations.
I remember the boy who was set on fire by his father years ago. He was burned so badly he could hardly move after he healed. I believe he did pass away, but I wonder what the technology could do for others who had his level of burns and live with all the scars.
It would be so wonderful if they could get their lives back.
I was wondering the same thing. Also, in other areas of disfigurement--even cosmetic surgery. I have a second cousin in England. As a little boy, he was reaching over the stove for some biscuits (cookies) and there was some kind of boiling liquid on the stove. It poured all down him like this little boy. He's 40 or so now.
My dad said that when i saw very young i spilled a cup of boiling water on my chest and he said something like the fat layer kinda rolled off. But i have absolutely no scars.
I cannot remember anything before i was about 6, and i think this is something that hurt my father in the long run more than me.
The docs did well enough back then. And I'm glad they are better today.
My friend went on to dance (exotic) and did ok.
Certainly not the makings of a morality story, but burn tech has progressed as quickly as possible.
WWII gave us a foundation. Open flames in cockpits act like flamethrowers. US Navy was quick to use woolen face coverings.
/johnny
Perhaps the upfront costs are higher, but they must be lower in total with this... one day in a burn unit must cost a couple thousand dollars at least - with this you get faster healing, less pain, less need for plastic surgery, less chance of infection because of the faster healing - traditional skin grafts wouldn’t be cheap either.
Second degree burns might not need skin grafts so maybe that’s where they’re saying this is more expensive but the speed of healing and the excellent cosmetic and functional results should make up for it.
What? You don’t think Obama deserves it for mandating free birth control for women!!!!! >s<
I have taken care of burn patients that had to have dressing removed each shift and a silver based cream applied...we gave the patient morphine before doing the dressing and it was still so painful. Horrible job to have to do knowing your going to inflict pain no matter how carefully you do the dressings....I’d rather be shot than get a 2 or 3rd degree burn...Severe sunburn with blisters is a second degree burn and is awful to treat also...3rd degree burns cause muslcle to be gone. Not just skin, they are horrid.....
A cup of tea did that?!!! Looks like someone took a flame thrower to his little chest. How horrific. I am so happy that he is recovering scar free. Praise God!
Totally amazing, isn’t it? I had a relative in England have a similar thing happen to him as a tot. This was the 70’s. I’ve heard his scars were very significant.
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